THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


TRINITY    BELLS 

A  Tale  of  Old  New  York 


Trinity  Bells  !     Trinity  Belw  i 
How  sweet  your  music  sinks  and  swells, 
Above  the  old,  the  young,  the  glad, 
Above  the  rich,  the  poor,  the  sad  : 
What  is  the  tale  your  music  tells, 

Trinity  Bells  ? 

The  tale  we  tell  so  strong  and  clear, 
Is  just  the  tale  you  long  to  hear. 
««  The  Heart's  Desire  "  our  music  times, 
"The  Heart's  Desire"  is  in  our  chimes, 
««  The  Heart's  Desire"  the  secret  spells 
Of  Trinity  Bells. 


Catharine  and  Paul  sang  together  out  of  the 
same  book  " 


TRINITY  BELLS 

A  Tale  of  Old  New  York 
By 

AMELIA  E.  BARR 

AUTHOR  OF 

SHEILA  VEDDER, 

THE  MAID  OF  MAIDEN  LANE. 

THE  BOW  OF  ORANGE  RIBBON, 


ILLUSTRATED  BY 

C.  M.  RELYEA 


.*. 


NEW    YORK 

GROSSET    &    DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1899 
BY  J.  F.  TAYLOR  AND  COMPANY 


ie. 


Contents 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    A  LAST  DAT  AT  SCHOOL 3 

II.    "So    THE    NEW    DAYS    COME,   AND  THE   YEARS 

ROLL  BY'* 31 

III.  THE  STRANGER  IN  THE  HOUSE 73 

IV.  PAUL  HAS  HOPES n? 

V.    THE  SECRET  OF  THE  SEA 153 

VI.    RAISING  THE  RANSOM 193 

VII.    ALL  is  WELL,  KATRYNTJE  ! 237 


A  Last  Day  at  School 


TRINITY  BELLS 
9 

CHAPTER   I 

A    LAST  DAY    AT    SCHOOL 

HER  dear  school  companions  called  her 
"  Delight,"  but  her  name  was  Catha 
rine  Van  Clyffe. 

She  was  the  daughter  of  Captain  Jansen  Van 
Clyffe  who,  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  had 
been  famous  for  harassing  British  commerce 
in  his  swift,  well-armed  ship,  The  Retribu 
tion.  But  Catharine  was  born  when  the  war 
was  over,  and  the  United  States  navy  had,  for 
a  time,  ceased  to  exist.  Then  Captain  Van 
Clyffe  had  begun  to  sail  his  own  ship,  The 
Golden  Victory,  on  his  own  commercial  ven 
tures.  To  the  east  and  the  west  he  sailed, 
to  the  other  side  of  the  world,  and  all  round 
the  world,  home  again.  No  port  was  too  far 

3 


Trinity  Bells 

away,  no  sea  too  strange  and  dangerous ;  and 
every  voyage  was  like  a  page  out  of  a  wonder 
ful  book  of  adventure  and  romance. 

When  Catharine  was  a  little  girl,  her  father 
had  often  taken  her  on  his  knee  and  told  her 
strange  stories  of  his  ship  and  his  sailor-men ; 
and  as  she  grew  older  she  went  with  him,  hand 
in  hand,  down  to  the  wharf  on  the  East  River 
front,  to  visit  The  Golden  Victory.  The  ship 
was  almost  a  living  creature  to  Catharine.  She 
knew  how  it  had  chased  its  enemies,  and  run 
away  from  its  enemies,  and  fought  its  enemies ; 
and  its  white  deck  and  its  dusky  cabin  were 
places  where  marvellous  deeds  had  been  done. 
In  that  cabin  she  had  eaten  mysterious  dainties, 
and  been  waited  on  by  sailors  who  had  not 
only  a  fierce  but  a  far-off,  strange  look,  such 
as  men  bring  from  unknown  lands,  and  life- 
and-death  fights  with  winds'  and  waves,  and 
mortal  enemies  more  dangerous  than  either. 
And  so  this  father,  whom  she  saw  only  at  long 
intervals,  was  to  Catharine  a  great  hero ;  and 

4 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

she  had  for  him  a  romantic  and  passionate 
affection. 

This  affection  in  no  way  lessened  the  love 
which  she  bore  to  her  mother;  on  the  con 
trary,  it  was  a  great  bond  between  mother  and 
daughter,  for  when  they  were  together  "father" 
was  the  first  and  the  last  topic  of  their  con 
versation,  the  one  subject  that  was  never  un 
welcome  and  never  tiresome.  It  was  not, 
however,  the  only  bond,  for  Madame  Van 
Clyffe  was  a  wise  and  lovable  woman,  a  very 
genius  of  happiness  and  helpfulness.  Indeed, 
there  had  been  far  more  real  companionship 
between  Madame  and  her  daughter  than  was 
at  all  common  in  that  day,  when  parents  were 
accustomed  to  exact,  and  to  receive,  a  great 
deal  of  formal  respect  from  their  children. 
Fortunately,  Catharine  found  it  natural  and 
easy  to  respect  and  to  love  her  mother.  No 
one  could  doubt  this  who  had  seen  her  every 
night  open  her  Bible  and  kiss  the  strand  of  her 
mother's  bright  hair  which  kept  the  place  of 

5 


Trinity  Bells 

her  devotions.  It  was  the  "good-night"  kiss 
of  a  girl  whose  heart  lay  close  to  her  mother's 
heart,  and  who  had  no  sweeter  wish  than  to 
obey  her  and  make  her  life  truly  happy. 

The  only  other  living  member  of  Catharine's 
home  was  her  brother  Paul ;  and  when  she 
spoke  of  Paul  it  was  always  with  a  beautiful 
enthusiasm.  She  delighted  in  telling  of  the 
honors  he  had  won  at  Trinity  School,  and  of 
her  mother's  great  wish  that  he  should  go 
to  Columbia  College,  and  afterward  to  Mr. 
Hamilton's  office  that  he  might  learn  to  be 
come  a  great  lawyer.  "  But  no,"  Catharine 
would  add,  with  a  bright  impetuosity ;  "  Paul 
will  not  be  a  lawyer.  Paul  will  go  to  sea.  If 
you  only  saw  him  walk  about  a  ship  you  would 
instantly  understand  that.  And,  to  be  sure,  if 
I  was  a  boy  I  also  would  be  a  sailor.  My 
father  says  cwe  all  have  the  salt  drop  in  us.' 
Even  my  Uncle  Jacob  Van  Clyffe,  who  is  a 
tanner,  dreams  of  the  sea,  and  reads  of  the  sea, 
and  talks  of  the  sea,  and  never  is  so  happy  and 

6 


Catharine  Van  Clyffe 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

good-natured  as  when  he  has  some  newly-home 
captain  at  his  fireside.  Yes ;  it  is  truly  so. 
Poor  Uncle  Jacob !  He  longs  for  the  wide 
ocean,  and  he  has  only  some  tanning-pits  in 
the  '  Swamp.'  My  uncle  is  not  always  an 
agreeable  man,  but  I  am  very  sorry  for  him." 

This  was  the  bright,  lovely  Catharine  Van 
Clyffe  who,  just  one  hundred  years  ago  the  i8th 
of  last  September,  was  a  pupil  in  the  school  of 
the  Moravian  Sisters  at  Bethlehem.  That  day 
was  a  spinning-day,  and  the  girls,  in  their 
snow-white  caps  and  ruffled  Vandykes,  were 
seated  in  the  great  panelled  room  at  their  wheels. 
Their  small  fingers  twisted  the  yielding  flax, 
while  the  pattering  treadles  —  worked  by  little 
feet  glittering  with  the  buckles  then  used  as 
shoe-latchets  —  kept  time  to  their  cheerful 
songs  and  merry  chatter,  and  to  the  droning 
hum-m-m-m  of  their  wheels.  Never  had 
Catharine  been  so  enthusiastic,  so  eager,  and 
so  full  of  joy.  Her  voice  set  all  who  listened 
to  it  vibrating.  It  was  the  voice  of  a  girl  un- 

7 


Trinity  Bells 

touched  by  sorrow,  singing  for  pure  gladness 
in  the  happy  morning  of  her  life.  No  thought 
of  change  was  in  her  mind.  She  expected  to 
remain  at  Bethlehem  for  another  year.  But 
change  hardly  ever  comes  by  appointment. 
We  are  not  even  thinking  of  it,  when  suddenly 
round  some  corner  of  life  it  meets  us  with  a 
smile  or  a  sigh. 

It  was  in  this  way  Catharine's  school  life 
came  to  a  close.  She  was  thinking  only  of  the 
number  of  cuts  she  would  be  able  to  spin, 
when  Sister  Anna  Ungar  gave  her  a  letter. 
"  It  is  from  my  dear  mother,"  she  cried  joy 
fully  ;  and  in  a  moment  she  had  broken  the 
seal  and  was  reading  the  following  lines : 

MY  DEAR  DAUGHTER:  I  have  now  to  communi 
cate  to  you  my  wish  that  you  return  home  with  Mr. 
King,  who  will  call  for  you  on  the  morning  of  the 
1 9th.  I  have  a  great  longing  for  your  presence; 
and  though  I  am  sure  we  are  both  sensible  of  the 
obligations  we  owe  your  good  teachers,  I  feel  that 
the  time  has  come  when  I  can  no  longer  deprive 
myself  of  the  comfort  of  your  society.  You  have 

8 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

already  acquired  more  learning  than  is  the  common 
rule,  and  I  have  no  doubt  can  further  improve  your 
self  in  your  own  home.  Your  brother  Paul  is  ex 
tremely  desirous  to  see  you,  and,  hoping  to  experience 
this  pleasure  myself  in  a  few  days,  I  am,  my  dear 
little  Katryntje,1 

Your  affectionate  mother, 

SARAH  VAN  CLYFFE. 

For  a  few  moments  this  letter  left  Catharine 
speechless ;  then  a  warm  glow  of  anticipation 
superseded  the  shock  of  so  sudden  a  removal 
from  all  that  had  been  her  life  for  nearly  five 
years.  She  was  sorry,  and  yet  she  was  very 
much  pleased ;  for  youth  is  always  sure  that 
change  must  mean  something  pleasant.  In  a 
moment  Catharine  had  concluded  that  her  father 
was  expected,  and  then  in  another  moment 
her  mind  was  busy  with  some  confused  plans 
for  carrying  on  her  studies  at  home  ;  for  it 
was  impossible  for  her  at  once  to  think  of  days 
coming  and  going  without  lessons  to  learn. 

Yet  the  first  words  that  broke  upon  this  short 

1  Pronounced  Ka-trynt-je. 
9 


Trinity  Bells 

trance  of  excited  feeling  were  the  words  in 
which  Sister  Ungar  formally  released  Catharine 
Van  Clyffe  from  all  her  school  duties.  There 
was  almost  a  sob  in  the  sister's  voice ;  and  the 
girls  looked  at  Catharine  with  a  startled  regret, 
and  yet  with  something  of  that  wondering  re 
spect  with  which  we  are  apt  to  regard  a  per 
son  on  whom  a  great  change  or  a  great  destiny 
has  unexpectedly  fallen. 

The  feeling  in  the  large  room  at  Bethlehem 
school  was  very  much  like  this.  When  Catha 
rine  received  her  letter  she  was  leading  the 
favorite  spinning  chant  and  chorus  : 

Catharine :     She  iceks  wool  and  flax  ; 

She  works  willingly  with  her  hands. 

Chorus :         Turn  the  busy  wheel, 
Little  sisters,  turn; 
When  the  sun  shines  bright, 
When  the  candles  burn. 

Catharine  :     Her  candle  goes  not  out  by  night ; 
She  lays  her  hands  to  the  spindle  ; 
And  her  hands  hold  the  distaff. 
10 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

Cbortts  :         Turn  the  busy  wheel, 
Little  sisters,  turn  ; 
When  the  sun  shines  bright, 
When  the  candles  burn. 

Catharine  :     She  makes  herself  coverings  of  tapestry  ; 
She  spins  fine  linen  and  sells  it. 

Chorus  :         Turn  the  busy  wheel, 
Little  sisters,  turn ; 
When  the  sun  shines  bright, 
When  the  candles  burn. 

The  singers  and  spinners  were  in  the  middle 
of  the  last  stanza  when  Catharine  exclaimed,  "  It 
is  from  my  dear  mother !  "  and  though  the  lines 
were  sung  to  the  close,  there  was  then  an  unbid 
den  and  simultaneous  silence.  Catharine  did 
not  begin  the  next  verse,  and  all  eyes  were 
turned  upon  her  and  upon  the  sad  face  of  the 
sister  watching  her.  The  wheels  ceased  to 
hum,  and  in  the  strange  silence  Sister  Ungar's 
words  fell  with  a  startling  effect : 

"Your  dear  companion,  Catharine  Van 
Clyffe,  is  required  at  her  home  in  New  York. 
She  will  leave  us  in  the  morning,  and  not 

IX 


Trinity  Bells 

return  to  us  again.  She  is  absolved  from  all 
her  school  duties  at  once,  and  may  select  three 
of  her  companions  to  assist  in  her  preparations 
and  cheer  her  with  their  presence.  Miss  Polly 
Ledoux  will  now  lead  your  song." 

But  though  Miss  Polly's  voice  was  both 
sweet  and  strong,  the  joyous  gladness  of  the 
music  was  no  longer  there.  The  wheels  went 
more  slowly.  The  girls  were  more  inclined  to 
talk  than  to  sing,  and  when  the  chant  was 
finished  it  was  not  repeated ;  neither  was  any 
other  commenced.  Little  intervals  of  silence, 
short  sentences  of  wonder  and  regret,  were 
current;  and  though  something  of  the  usual 
happy  abandon  of  a  spinning-day  gradually 
returned  to  the  circle,  it  lacked  the  vivacity 
and  sprightly  pleasure  which  ordinarily  dis 
tinguished  the  exercise.  It  was  as  if  the  soft 
pedal  had  been  put  down  on  each  girl's  heart. 
Nothing  that  day  was  quite  the  same.  They 
had  suffered  a  loss.  For  the  very  last  time 
Catharine  had  led  their  singing ;  and  the  pathos 

12 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

which  clings  to  those  three  words,  "the  last 
time,"  made  them  pensive  and  thoughtful. 

But  Catharine  had  distractions  which  pre 
vented  thought  while  the  first  shock  of  the 
change  prevailed.  Her  trunk  was  to  be 
packed  —  one  of  those  long  shallow  boxes, 
covered  with  calfskin  and  rows  of  brass  nail- 
heads,  which  our  great-grandmothers  admired  ; 
her  books  and  exercises  to  be  collected ;  little 
mementos  of  affection  from  her  companions  to 
be  received  and  put  in  place ;  and  there  was  a 
private  interview  with  her  teachers  to  go 
through,  from  which  she  came  away  with  eyes 
full  of  tears  and  a  solemnly  happy  aspect. 

When  these  affairs  had  been  completed,  she 
was  sensible  only  of  a  great  pleasure.  The 
idea  of  freedom  is  natural,  and  she  was  devot 
edly  attached  to  her  family.  Therefore,  with 
out  being  ungrateful  for  the  past,  she  was 
dreaming,  with  all  the  gladness  of  a  loving 
heart,  of  the  richer  future  —  the  return  of  her 
father,  the  society  of  her  mother  and  brother, 

13 


Trinity  Bells 

the  release  from  all  those  beneficent  rules  and 
restrictions  to  which  she  had  hitherto  rendered 
a  willing  obedience,  but  whose  authority  she 
suddenly  felt  herself  to  have  outgrown.  It  was 
this  new  sense  of  self-dependence  which  made 
her  fearlessly  ask  that  her  three  friends  might 
have  with  her  that  night  a  little  feast  of  the 
chocolate  and  cake  and  fruit  in  which  they  all 
delighted.  Her  request  was  readily  granted, 
and  Catharine  dispensed  her  hospitality  with 
that  familiar  affection  which  is  permissible,  and 
even  enchanting,  in  school-girls  who  yet  believe 
in  all  their  enthusiasms. 

One  of  the  three  friends  was  Lucia  Dalmaine, 
a  West  Indian  girl,  whom  Catharine  had  first 
comforted  and  then  loved  ;  another  was  Mary 
Beaton,  from  Boston ;  and  the  third  was  Elsie 
Evertsen,  from  New  York.  These  girls  had 
shared  with  Catharine  for  three  years  their 
little  joys  and  sorrows,  their  likes  and  dislikes. 
They  had  helped  one  another  in  many  ways, 
and  they  knew  all  the  members  of  their  dif- 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

ferent  families  by  name,  and  were  interested 
in  their  fortunes.  In  fact,  the  four  were  bound 
together  by  those  numberless  small  ties  which 
imitate  in  school  life  the  intimacy  and  affection 
of  the  home  life. 

Catharine,  however,  had  been  the  leading 
spirit  among  them,  and  they  were  at  once 
sorry  to  lose  her  company  and  proud  and 
interested  in  her  promotion.  Nor  were  their 
rather  exaggerated  expressions  of  affection  at 
all  insincere.  They  really  believed  in  their 
undying  allegiance  to  their  school  and  their 
undying  love  for  their  companion.  And 
Catharine  was  quite  as  profuse  in  her  declara 
tions.  She  was  sure  no  charms  of  that  gay 
society  which  she  expected  some  time  to  enter 
could  ever  make  her  forget  her  school  friends, 
or  the  innocent,  peaceful  years  she  had  spent 
in  her  beloved  school.  "  Indeed,"  she  said, 
with  excusable  enthusiasm,  "  I  think  Bethlehem 
will  be  my  last  memory  on  this  earth." 

"  I  would  not  say  as  much  as  that,  dear 
15 


Trinity  Bells 

Delight,"  answered  Mary  Beaton.  "  We  may 
live  many  years,  and  during  those  long  years 
have  many  other  beautiful  memories." 

"  To  be  sure  !  That  is  exactly  true,"  added 
Elsie.  "  There  are  our  homes,  and  our  good 
fathers  and  mothers ;  and  at  this  very  time  I 
know  places  where  I  am  happier  than  here  — 
at  my  grandmother  Van  Wyck's,  for  instance ; 
and  on  the  ice,  when  I  fly  like  a  bird." 

"  For  all  that,"  interrupted  Lucia,  "  I  have 
heard  that  our  last  memory  will  always  go 
back  to  our  first." 

"  Well,  then,"  said  Catharine,  "  let  us  tell  of 
our  first  memory.  That  is  something  sure. 
What  is  the  very  first  event  in  your  life  that 
you  remember,  Lucia  ?  " 

"  It  was  not  a  pleasant  event,  Delight.  It 
makes  me  shiver  yet  whenever  I  think  of  it. 
I  was  on  my  father's  plantation,  some  distance 
from  Kingston.  I  was  not  four  years  old.  It 
was  a  bright,  very  bright,  moonlight  night ;  and 
I  recollect  pushing  open  a  door,  and  seeing  in 
16 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

the  band  of  moonshine  a  great  serpent  stretched 
out  from  one  side  of  the  room  to  the  other. 
It  moved  quickly,  and  some  one  —  my  nurse,  I 
suppose  —  caught  me  in  her  arms,  and  ran 
along  the  veranda,  screaming.  I  can  smell 
now  the  peculiar  scent  of  the  flowers  on  the 
vines  which  she  brushed  in  her  frantic  flight ; 
I  can  hear  now  the  shouts  and  confusion  of 
the  slaves  hunting  and  killing  the  creature ; 
and  I  can  feel  now  the  kisses  with  which  my 
mother  covered  my  face.  That  is  the  very 
first  event  of  which  I  have  any  clear  remem 
brance  ;  and  I  would  not  forget  it  because  of 
my  precious  mother's  kisses." 

"  My  first  memory,"  said  Mary  Beaton, 
"is  of  a  snowy  day.  Everything  was  white, 
and  still,  and  cold ;  and  I  stood,  a  little  mite 
of  a  girl,  upon  a  chair  by  the  window,  watching 
the  falling  flakes.  Then  I  saw  a  man  come 
to  the  house,  and  he  carried  a  box  in  his 
hands.  I  heard  mother  laugh,  and  she  lifted 
me  from  the  chair  and,  put  me  on  a  table. 
2  17 


Trinity  Bells 

Then  she  opened  the  box,  and  I  sat  very  still 
and  watched  her.  It  contained  a  large  doll. 

O  ' 

and  the  doll  was  for  me  ;  it  came  from  my 
grandmother.  I  think  it  must  have  been 
my  birthday.  I  shall  never  forget  the  moment 
when  I  took  that  doll  in  my  arms  ;  I  can  feel 
yet  how  hard  I  tried  not  to  go  to  sleep  and 
leave  her  alone.  I  suppose  I  must  have  been 
four  years  old ;  I  do  not  remember  my  age, 
but  the  rest  is  as  clear  as  if  it  had  happened 
yesterday." 

"  Now,  Elsie,"  said  Catharine,  "  it  is  your 
turn.  What  wonder  is  the  very  first  in  your 
memory  ?  " 

"  Indeed,  then,  my  dear  Delight,  it  is  the 
ice  —  the  beautiful  ice,  and  the  great  pond, 
and  the  girls  and  the  boys  upon  it !  Some 
one  —  I  think  it  was  my  brother  George  — 
pushed  me  in  a  little  sled,  and  then,  Delight, 
I  tell  you  truly,  I  fi^st  knew  that  I  was  alive. 
I  shouted,  I  clapped  my  hands ;  I  felt  so 
happy,  so  happy  as  never  was !  And  then  I 

iS 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

felt  nothing  at  all  till  I  woke  up  before  the 
fire,  and  my  mother  was  rubbing  me  with 
something,  and  crying,  c  My  child !  My 
child  ! '  and  scolding  George  for  taking  me  on 
the  ice ;  and  I  began  to  scream,  and  kick,  and 
beg  to  go  on  the  ice  once  more.  And  my 
mother  took  from  me  my  red  hood,  and  my 
father  he  laughed  and  held  me  in  his  arms. 
Many  times  I  have  been  on  the  ice  since,  but 
no  time  was  like  that  time.  I  am  glad  to  have 
it  for  my  first  memory.  And  now,  dear 
Delight,  tell  us  what  you  remember  first  of 
all,"  continued  Elsie,  as  she  nestled  closer  to 
her  friend,  "  for  I  am  sure  it  will  be  something 
beautiful." 

"  Indeed,  you  are  exactly  right,  Elsie.  I 
have  a  beautiful  f  first  memory  '  —  a  moving 
picture  of  flags,  and  of  men  dressed  splendidly 
in  many  colors ;  and  above  them,  between 
heaven  and  earth,  the  most  wonderful  music 
you  can  imagine  —  the  chiming  of  Trinity 
Bells !  I  had  never  consciously  heard  them 


Trinity  Bells 

before ;  for  I  was  very  young  when  my  father 
went  to  the  Madagascar  coast,  and  my  mother 
took  me  and  my  brother  Paul  to  her  father's 
house  in  Philadelphia.  There  we  stayed  nearly 
two  years ;  and  then  father  wrote  from 
London,  and  we  came  back  to  New  York  to 
meet  him.  And  the  next  morning  was  the 
Fourth  of  July  —  a  hot,  sunshiny  day  ;  and 
I  was  dressed  in  white,  and  stood  by  my 
mother's  side  at  the  open  window ;  and  there 
was  music  in  the  street,  and  the  noise  of  can 
non,  and  such  a  joyful  feeling,  just  like  a  holi 
day  everywhere.  And  very  soon  a  great  crowd 
passed  the  house,  and  there  was  a  grand-look 
ing  man  on  a  white  horse  in  front  of  it ;  and  I 
know  now  that  it  was  President  Washington  ; 
and  that  the  stately  band  who  walked  behind 
him,  all  dressed  in  black  robes,  were  the  bishop 
and  clergy  of  New  York ;  and  that  the  men 
who  followed  in  coats  trimmed  with  gold  were 
generals,  and  soldiers,  and  companies  of  many 
kinds.  Young  as  I  was,  I  clapped  my  hands 

20 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

at  the  New  York  grenadiers,  In  their  blue-and- 
red  coats,  and  their  cocked  hats  with  white 
feathers.  And  my  mother  made  me  notice  the 
German  grenadiers,  in  their  towering  caps  of 
bearskin,  and  the  Scotch  infantry,  in  full  High 
land  dress,  with  the  bagpipes  playing.  Of 
course  I  did  not  understand  all  this  then,  but 
my  mother  often  afterward  talked  to  me  about 
it ;  for  it  was  a  Fourth  of  July  during  Wash 
ington's  administration,  and  she  wished  me  to 
remember  it." 

"  I  was  in  New  York  at  that  time,"  said 
Elsie ;  "  but  I  do  not  remember,  because  I 
was  too  young.  However,  I  have  seen  my 
father's  uniform,  for  he  was  a  New  York  gren 
adier.  It  is  kept  safe  in  the  great  Nuremberg 
chest  in  my  father's  room  ;  and  he  says  he 
wishes  to  be  buried  in  it." 

"  And  that  is  your  first  memory,  Delight  ?  " 
said  Lucia.  "  How  charming !  It  will  be 
something  pleasant  to  talk  about  when  you 
are  an  old  woman." 


Trinity  Bells 

"  I  am  sure  it  is  my  first  clear  memory, 
Lucia.  I  have  many  wavering  pictures  in  my 
mind  of  things  happening  in  my  grandfather's 
house  ;  but  they  are  all  so  similar,  and  so  like 
what  happened  in  our  own  house,  that  I  can 
not  separate  them.  But  that  Fourth  of  July 
is  set  clearly  against  the  blue  sky  and  the 
sunny  day.  I  remember,  without  a  doubt, 
the  splendid  procession,  and  the  flags  waving 
above  it,  and,  quite  distinct  from  the  shouting 
and  the  music  on  the  street,  the  joyful  pealing 
of  Trinity  Bells.  When  all  had  passed  and 
gone,  they  made  the  gladdest  and  most  tri 
umphant  music.  I  hear  it  in  my  heart  this 
moment.  Yes,  indeed  !  I  will  without  regret 
let  all  the  stirring  sights  and  sounds  of  that 
wonderful  day  slip,  and  say  truly,  my  first 
memory  is  Trinity  Bells." 

"And  I  think,"  said  Lucia,  "that  the  bells 
were  a  happy  sign  of  a  happy  life  for  our  dear 
Delight.  We  have  a  very  good  chime  of  bells 
in  Kingston  church,"  she  continued;  "but 


22 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

when  my  education  is  finished  I  am  going  with 
my  father  to  England.  My  mother  was  an 
Englishwoman,  and  she  has  told  me  that  Eng 
land  is  called  the  c  Ringing  Island,'  and  that 
it  is  not  possible  to  get  very  far  away  from  the 
sound  of  bells  in  the  whole  country.  Perhaps, 
also,  I  am  going  to  Paris." 

"  I  would  not  go  to  Paris,  not  if  I  might 
have  the  whole  city  for  going  !  "  cried  Elsie. 

"  They  will  cut  off  your  head,  Lucia !  They 
have  already  cut  off  the  heads  of  their  king 
and  queen,  and  of  all  the  respectable  people  in 
France,  and  now  they  arc  trying  to  quarrel 
with  the  Americans.  It  is  the  truth.  I  know 
it,  because  my  brother  George  said  so  in  the 
letter  I  got  from  him  only  one  month  ago. 
If  you  go  to  Paris  you  will  not  save  your  head 
on  your  shoulders,  I  think." 

"  There  is  not  much  danger  now  in  Paris, " 
answered  Mary  Beaton.  "  A  young  man, 
called  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  is  making  the 
French  behave  themselves.  My  father  tells 


Trinity  Bells 

me  that  he  has  overthrown  the  Directory  and 
will  likely  make  himself  king.  He  has  intelli 
gence,  and  he  is  a  great  soldier ;  and  he  f  abom 
inates  massacres.'  He  said  this  himself." 

"That  may  be  the  truth,"  said  Elsie; 
"  nevertheless,  I  shall  be  very  content  to  stay 
in  New  York." 

"  All  your  life  ?  "  asked  Catharine. 

"  Yes,  all  my  life  long.  To  be  sure,  there 
is  finer  skating  in  Holland ;  but  then  the 
ivomen  do  not  dress  so  handsomely,  or  so  be 
comingly  as  in  New  York.  And  in  New 
York  there  are  so  many  amusements.  They 
are  too  fond  of  work  in  Holland  also.  I 
know  that,  because  my  father  and  my  mother 
are  always  telling  us  about  the  industry  of  the 
Dutch.  Now,  I  do  not  want  to  be  very 
industrious ;  it  is  no  great  fault  I  think,  to 
enjoy  oneself  a  little." 

"  But  you  cannot  spend  your  life  in  amus 
ing  yourself,  Elsie,"  said  Mary. 

"That  is  a  great   pity.     But,  of  course,  I 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

shall  have  to  grow  up,  and  become  a  woman, 
and  get  married,  and  keep  house,  and  become 
old,  as  other  people  do.  However,  for  all 
that,  Elsie  will  find  some  time  to  enjoy  her 
self." 

"  I  wish  to  be  a  great  teacher,"  said  Mary 
Beaton.  "  I  intend  to  have  a  famous  school. 
I  have  many  plans  about  it,  even  now.  We 
ought,  I  think,  to  do  something  good  with 
our  lives." 

"  I  have  plans  also,"  said  Lucia.  "  You 
know  that  my  dear  mother  left  me  many 
slaves.  I  intend  to  make  them  all  FREE." 

"  Oh  Lucia,  what  a  blessed  work  !"  cried  the 
girls,  almost  with  one  voice. 

"  I  think  so."  Sister  Beroth  often  talks  to 
me  about  it.  She  says  that  I  shall  find  true 
happiness  in  living  in  the  love  that  flows  out 
from  me,  rather  than  in  the  love  that  flows  in 
to  me.  And  since  I  have  been  here,  and  have 
had  to  obey  so  many  little  rules,  and  always  do 
what  others  think  right  and  best,  I  have  under- 

25 


Trinity  Bells 

stood  how  hard  it  must  be  never  to  have  your 
own  way  all  your  life  long." 

"  But,"  said  Catharine,  "  school  is  different. 
I  once  complained  to  Sister  Kleist  of  this  very 
thing ;  and  she  showed  me  that  it  was  a  great 
benefit,  as  well  as  a  great  discipline.  For 
instance,  the  bell  rings,  and  tasks  must  be  be 
gun  ;  and  we  have  not  to  make  up  our  minds, 
—  they  are  made  up  for  us.  So  then  we  lose 
no  time,  we  learn  obedience  also,  and  conquer, 
through  habit,  that  uncertainty  which  spoils 
the  character  of  any  work  it  enters  into." 

"  That  may  be  all  very  proper,  and  exceed 
ingly  true,"  answered  Elsie.  "All  the  same, 
to  be  rung  out  of  bed  and  into  bed,  to  be 
rung  to  lessons,  and  rung  to  meals,  and  rung 
to  play  is  a  little  tiresome  I  think.  And  in 
a  few  minutes  we  shall  be  rung  to  prayers, 
and  then  our  last  evening  together  will  be 
over.  There,  already,  is  that  tiresome  bell : 
I  told  you  so.  Oh  my  dear  Delight,  what 
shall  we  do  without  you  ?  I  am  afraid  I  shall 


A  Last  Day  at  School 

be  very  naughty,  and  have  many  incorrect 
lessons.'* 

Then  Catharine  kissed  her,  and  they  went 
to  the  schoolroom  together.  "  You  see," 
said  Elsie,  looking  tearfully  back  at  Lucia  and 
Mary,  "  I  have  the  most  right  to  walk  with 
Delight  to-night;  we  are  almost  sisters,  for  we 
both  live  in  New  York." 

This  was  the  close  of  one  leaf  of  Catharine's 
book  of  life.  In  the  morning  Mr.  King 
came  for  her  while  it  was  yet  very  early,  and 
no  one  but  Sister  Klcist  saw  her  departure. 
But  all  day  the  Bethlehem  pupils  thought  of 
her,  and  talked  of  her.  They  praised  her 
beauty,  her  grace,  her  cleverness,  her  sweet 
temper,  her  generosity ;  but  Elsie  touched  the 
real  source  of  her  great  popularity  when  she 
said,  "  Our  dear  Delight  was  always  doing 
somebody  a  kindness." 

It  happened  that  the  good  principal,  Brother 
Jacob  Van  Vleck,  heard  this  remark ;  and  he 
made  to  the  girls  a  little  sermon  from  Elsie's 

91 


Trinity  Bells 

text ;  and  asked  them  to  remember,  "  if  they 
did  only  one  kind  deed  or  said  only  one  kind 
word  every  day,  they  would,  each  of  them, 
make  three  hundred  and  sixty  people  happy 
every  year.  And  in  forty  years,  my  children," 
he  continued,  "  you  will  have  done  fourteen 
thousand  six  hundred  kind  deeds,  or  said  four 
teen  thousand  six  hundred  kind  words.  That 
is  the  result  for  others  ;  but  how  much  greater 
the  gain  to  yourselves  ;  since  it  is  *  far  more ' 
blessed  to  give  than  to  receive.  And  as  for 
the  dear  companion  who  has  just  left  us,  we 
must  think  of  her  in  her  new  life,  as  still 
happy,  and  kind,  and  useful,  —  for 

*' '  God  is  good,  and  gives  new  gladness, 
When  the  old  He  takes  away.'  " 


28 


II 

"  So  the  New  Days  come,  and  the 
Years  roll  by" 


CHAPTER   II 

tc  SO  THI  NEW  DAYS  COME,  AND  THE  YEARS 
ROLL  BY" 

HOME,  sweet  Home!  Never  had  home 
been  so  sweet  to  Catharine  as  when 
she  stood  again  on  its  threshold,  with  her 
mother's  arms  around  her.  The  journey  had 
been  impeded  and  delayed  by  a  severe  storm  ; 
and  it  was  nine  o'clock  in  the  night  when  Mr. 
King  left  her  at  the  door  of  the  Van  Clyffe 
house  on  Broadway.  But  the  late  hour,  ac 
counted  for,  no  longer  troubled  either  mother 
or  daughter.  There  was  so  much  to  feel,  so 
much  to  say,  so  many  questions  to  ask,  and  to 
answer. 

The  night  was  a  little  frosty,  and  a  few  oak 

logs    burned    brightly    on    the    hearth,    while 

Catharine,    healthily    hungry,    feasted    on    the 

fried  chicken,  and  peach  pie,  and  new  milk, 

3* 


Trinity  Bells 

spread  for  her  refreshment  before  it.  They 
were  in  '  mother's  parlour/  a  little  room  set 
apart  for  Madame  Van  Clyffe's  use,  between 
the  house-place  and  the  fine  front  rooms  re 
served  for  festive  occasions.  It  contained  only 
a  wide  sofa,  a  round  table,  two  or  three  chairs, 
and  the  great  carved  kas,  or  cabinet,  in  which 
Madame  kept  her  best  china,  her  foreign  pre 
serves,  and  the  silver  in  general  use.  After 
the  bare  simplicity  of  the  schoolrooms  it 
seemed  a  very  palace  of  comfort ;  and  Catha 
rine  was  not  too  old,  or  too  affected,  to  be 
charmed  anew  with  its  air  of  homely  beauty, 
or  to  eat  with  real  enjoyment  the  delicacies 
prepared  for  her. 

"  But  where  is  Paul  ?  "  she  asked,  as  soon  as 
her  first  excitement  was  over. 

"  He  will  be  here  very  soon,  my  dear  little 
Katryntje  !  I  have  already  told  you  how  kind 
the  master  of  Trinity  school  has  been  to  Paul ; 
and  he  is  yet  studying  with  him  for  two  hours 
every  other  night." 

32 


Never  had  home  been  so  sweet  to  Catharine  as  when 
she  stood  again  on  its  threshold  " 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

"  I  thought  then  that  Paul  had  passed  ah 
the  Trinity  classes  ?  " 

"That  is  so.  But  now  he  is  learning  —  I 
know  not  what  —  something  with  a  very  hard 
name  ;  something  that  is  all  curves,  and  lines, 
and  figures." 

"  Then  it  will  be,  I  suppose,  some  kind  of 
arithmetic.  How  do  boys  learn,  and  even 
like,  such  things  ?  As  for  me,  mother,  I  have 
always  hated  even  c  twice  two  is  four.' ' 

Madame's  face   had   a  momentary  shadow ; 
she  did  not  smile,  or  answer  Catharine ;  and 
the  girl,  looking  quickly  up,  was  aware  of  some 
change  which  she  could  not  define.     It  troubled 
her ;  she  thought  instantly  of  her  father,  and 
asked  "  When  is  my  father  coming  ?  " 
"  I  know  not,  dear  one." 
"  Mother !  I  thought  surely,  when  you  sent 
for  me,  that  my  father  was  very  near  to  his 
home." 

"  I   try   to   believe   that  he  is ;    for  he   has 
been  so   long,  so   long  away  !     To-night  we 
3  33 


Trinity  Bells 

will  not  speak  of  this  subject ;  in  the  morning 
there  will  be  much  to  say.  Tell  me  now  of 
your  school,  and  of  what  you  have  learned  this 
year." 

This  was  a  topic  on  which  Catharine  could 
easily  be  eloquent ;  and  she  was  in  the  midst 
of  a  conversation  about  Elsie  Evertsen,  when 
Paul  flung  the  door  open  with  a  cry  of  "  Wel 
come  !  Welcome,  little  Tryntje  !  " 

"  Oh,  Paul  !  It  is  good  to  see  you  again  ! " 
she  answered.  "And  how  tall  you  have 
grown  !  You  are  almost  a  man,  Paul." 

"  Indeed  I  think  so,"  answered  the  youth, 
stretching  himself  to  his  utmost  height,  and 
quite  looking  down  on  his  pretty  sister. 

"  But  even  so,  Paul,  sit  down,  and  help  me 
to  eat  my  chicken  and  my  peach  pie." 

"  I  am  very  willing,  for  I  am  very  hungry. 
Trigonometry  is  not  easy  work." 

"  I    should   think   it  was   very  hard  work. 
The  name  is  as  bad  as  a  day's  journey.     Why 
do  you  learn  such  a  thing  ?  " 
34 


"  So  the  New  Days  Come  " 

"  I  like  to  learn  it.  I  think,  also,  I  shall 
find  it  very  useful  some  day." 

Then  the  mother  turned  the  conversation 
back  to  Bethlehem,  until  Catharine  said  she 
was  so  sleepy  there  was  nothing  but  bed  to 
be  thought  of.  And  oh,  how  delightful  was 
the  white,  drowsy  room  which  she  was  to  call 
her  own  for  the  future !  Madame  had  spent 
many  happy  hours  in  preparing  for  her  little 
girl :  the  tent  bedstead  with  its  white  dimity 
curtains,  and  the  pretty  dressing-table,  cov 
ered  with  snowy  drapery  of  the  same  material, 
the  rush  chairs,  the  pretty  blue  rugs  on 
the  waxed  and  polished  floor,  the  silver 
candlestick,  the  exquisite  linen  with  its  faint 
scent  of  lavender,  the  large  Dresden  vase 
full  of  asters,  and  The  Imitation  lying  open 
at  the  "  Four  things  which  bring  much  peace  " 
—  all  these  tokens  of  thoughtful  love  and  care 
filled  Catharine's  heart  with  inexpressible 
pleasure.  She  crept  into  her  white,  sweet 
nest,  with  a  happy,  grateful  prayer  on  her  lips, 
35 


Trinity  Bells 

and  immediately  fell  into  a  deep  and  restful 
sleep. 

A  long  sleep  of  nearly  ten  hours  ;  and  then, 
in  a  moment,  she  was  wide  awake.  And  with 
this  first  alert  consciousness,  there  came  —  as 
if  her  angel  had  planned  it  so  —  the  sound 
of  the  Bells.  She  smiled,  and  lay  still 
listening : 

r — J- 


32: 


c? 

Wei  -  come  home,  Ka  -  trynt  -  je  !     Wei  -come  hornet 

That  was  exactly  what  they  said  to  her ;  and 
then  they  struck  eight  o'clock. 

She  was  as  happy  as  if  she  had  been  blessed 
by  a  holy  friend.  She  put  her  small,  bare 
feet  out  of  bed  quickly ;  and  dressed  herself 
in  a  smiling  hurry.  What  would  they  say  at 
Bethlehem  if  they  knew  she  had  slept  until 
eight  o'clock  ?  And  then  she  pictured  to 
herself  the  busy  schoolroom,  and  felt  her  in 
dolence  all  the  more  delightful  for  the  imagin 
ation.  And  oh,  how  good  it  was  to  see  her 
36 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

mother's  face,  and  to  hear  her  loving  "good' 
morning "  as  soon  as  she  left  her  room ! 
Truly  she  had  been  used  to  kindly  stranger 
faces,  and  to  very  gentle  words ;  but  who 
can  look  into  a  girl's  face  as  a  mother  can  ? 
And  who  but  a  mother  could  put  a  heaven  of 
love  into  just  two  words  —  "  Dearest  Tryntje  !  " 

"  I  am  so  late,  mother ;  I  deserve  no 
breakfast." 

"  But  it  is  waiting  for  you  ; "  and  she  called 
Bosnay,  a  favorite  negro  slave  to  bring  in 
the  chocolate  and  eggs  and  hot  cakes. 
Madame  was  kneading  the  fine  wheat  bread, 
and  Bosnay  served  the  girl  with  an  affection 
ate  familiarity,  talking  to  her  the  while  en 
tirely  in  the  Dutch.  Madame,  also,  gave  all 
her  orders  in  the  same  language  ;  but  Cathar 
ine  now  found  it  a  little  difficult  always  to 
understand  the  voluble  negress. 

When  Madame  had  put  her  loaves  under 
a  white  towel  to  rise,  Catharine  had  finished 
her  breakfast ;  and  her  mother  looked  at  her 

37 


Trinity  Bells 

with  a  tender  irresolution,  as  if  she  was  trying 
to  decide  some  question  that  seriously  affected 
her.  And,  in  fact,  this  was  the  exact  case. 
When  Bosnay  had  cleared  the  table  and  left 
the  room,  a  sudden  silence  —  a  silence  full  of 
feeling  and  meaning  —  fell  between  Madame 
and  her  little  daughter.  Catharine  tried  fo 
break  it,  by  telling  her  mother  how  sweetly 
she  had  slept,  and  how  delightfully  she  had 
been  awakened  from  her  sleep.  "  The  Bells 
called  me,  mother,"  she  said.  "  They  rung 
out f  Welcome  home,  Katryntje!  Welcome  home/' 
as  distinctly  as  possible.  They  did  indeed." 

"  Dear  one,  I  doubt  it  not.  And  yet  I  am 
so  sorry  they  had  to  welcome  you  —  but  I  saw 
not  how  to  prevent  it."  And  her  face  was  so 
sad,  as  she  spoke  these  words,  that  Catharine  at 
once  understood  there  was  trouble  in  her  heart. 

"  My  mother,"  she  answered,  "  to  be  with 
you,  that  is  my  great  happiness.  Is  there,  then, 
something  you  wish  to  tell  me  ?  Some  reason 
why  I  could  not  stay  longer  at  school  ?  " 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

Madame  sat  down,  and  drew  a  chair  for 
Catharine  close  to  her  side.  "  Sit  close  to  me, 
Tryntje,"  she  said ;  "  sit  very  close,  my  dear 
one.  There  is  a  great  reason.  It  is  this  —  I 
have  no  more  money." 

"  Oh  mother !  mother !  " 

"  Your  father  is  now  two  years  gone  away  ; 
and  I  have  heard  not  one  word  from  him  these 
ten  months.  Always,  when  he  was  not  com 
ing  home,  he  sent  word  to  Claes  Brevoort  how 
to  give  me  money,  but  Claes  has  heard  nothing 
at  all  from  him  since  he  left.  I  am  without 
money,  Tryntje,  and  what  to  do  I  know  not. 
Every  morning  I  think  before  night  your 
dear  father  will  come.  I  listen  for  his  step 
till  my  cars  ache  ;  and  if  there  is  a  quick  knock 
at  the  door  I  run  to  open  it.  I  am  so  sure  it 
is  he.  But  no  !  Every  night  I  pray  the  good 
God  to  have  pity  on  us.  I  sleep  not,  until  I 
am  tired  out  with  thinking  and  watching. 
Tryntje  !  Tryntje !  I  could  bear  it  no  longer 
without  you !  '* 

39 


Trinity  Bells 

"  Oh,  my  mother !  So  glad  am  I  that  you 
have  brought  me  home.  Do  not  be  so  dis 
tressed.  There  is  more  than  one  way  to  make 
money.  We  have  friends  also.  And  we  can 
work.  What  says  my  brother  Paul  ?  " 

"  Paul  has  such  a  hoping  heart.  He  says 
always  '  To-morrow  !  To-morrow,  mother ! ' 
But  no !  Even  Paul  has  now  begun  to  fear. 
A  month  since,  he  went  to  his  Uncle  Jacob 
and  said  c  Let  me  work  with  you.'  My  poor 
Paul ! "  Here  she  ceased  speaking,  and  Cath 
arine  saw  with  an  unspeakable  pity,  the  large 
tears  drop  from  her  mother's  eyes.  She  was 
shocked.  She  spoke  almost  in  a  whisper : 

"  Then  Paul  has  gone  to  the  tanning  pits  ?  " 

"Yes." 

There  was  a  bitter  pause.  The  position 
seemed  impossible  J^o  Catharine.  For  the 
question  of  money  had  never  entered  her  mind. 
She  had  some  knowledge  of  other  sorrows  — 
of  sickness,  separation,  unfriendliness,  even 
death ;  but  the  want  of  money,  that  was  an 

40 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

.dea  strange  and  almost  incredible.  However 
she  was  a  girl  of  quick  instincts  and  ready  sym 
pathies,  and  she  accepted  without  dispute  the 
fact  of  their  poverty. 

"  Have  you  told  my  grandmother  Van 
Clyffe  ?  "  she  asked. 

f<  No  one  have  I  told  but  Paul  and  your 
self." 

"  May  I  tell  grandmother  ? " 

"  To  that  question,  Tryntje,  I  know  not 
what  to  answer.  She  loves  me  not.  And  she 
is  angry  at  your  father  because  nothing  but  a 
ship,  and  the  world-wide  seas,  will  please 
him." 

"  As  if  a  Zealander  could  help  loving  the 
world-wide  seas  !  "  cried  Catharine  indignantly. 
"  The  sea,  to  my  father,  is  everything  that  the 
fatherland  is  to  a  landsman.  However,  let  me 
go  and  see  grandmother.  It  is  my  duty  to 
do  so;  and  if  I  get  the  right  moment,  I  will 
speak ;  and  if  I  do  not  get  the  right  moment, 
I  will  not  speak." 

41 


Trinity  Bells 

"  Go,  then  ;  and  whatever  you  think  it  best 
to  say,  that  I  give  you  permission  to  say." 

In  a  short  time  Catharine  was  ready  for  her 
visit.  She  put  on  her  brown  camblet  frock, 
with  its  tippet  of  the  same  material,  and  a 
straw  gypsy  hat,  tied  under  her  chin  with  a 
wide  brown  sarsnet  ribbon.  Her  fair  hair 
lay  in  shining  curls  upon  her  shoulders,  at 
her  throat  was  a  small  gold  brooch,  and  in 
her  hand  she  had  a  posy  of  yellow  asters  — 
a  blooming  little  maid,  all  brown  and  gold, 
with  a  face  serious,  but  not  sad,  and  eyes 
that  shone  with  love,  and  loving  purpose. 

Her  grandmother,  Madame  Judith  Van 
Clyffe,  lived  in  an  old  house  in  William 
Street.  She  had  gone  there  when  she  mar 
ried  Roclf  Van  Clyffe,  and  in  spite  of  the 
British  occupancy  of  New  York,  and  of  the 
fact  that  her  husband  and  three  sons  were 
with  the  Continental  army  or  navy,  there  she 
had  remained.  Not  without  prudent  man 
agement,  however.  She  had  permitted  a  noted 

42 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

royalist  during  the  war  to  occupy  its  first 
floor  with  his  shop,  on  condition  that  she 
had  the  use  of  the  upper  floor.  Into  this 
upper  floor  she  removed  all  her  treasures ; 
and  then  she  suffered  its  windows  to  become 
covered  with  dust  and  spiders'  webs,  and  to 
take  on  generally  the  appearance  of  being 
merely  the  storage  place  of  the  shop  below 
them. 

Ostensibly  she  removed  to  her  son  Jacob's 
fine  house  on  the  Bowery ;  and  there  she 
busied  herself  in  making  such  delicious  butter, 
and  in  growing  such  fine  vegetables  and  fruits, 
for  the  Governor's  and  the  officers'  families, 
that  they  naturally  protected  her  in  a  position 
so  necessary  for  their  own  comfort.  So 
Madame  held  her  tongue,  and  worked  hard, 
and  made  a  great  deal  of  money  ;  and  when 
ever  she  put  away  a  British  guinea,  she  said, 
with  a  little  laugh  of  satisfaction,  "  It  is  a  spoil 
ing  of  the  enemy ;  and  when  my  men  come 
home  again,  of  the  gold  they  will  be  glad." 
43 


Trinity  Bells 

But  Roelf  Van  Clyffe  never  came  home 
again ;  he  died  on  the  battle-field ;  and  his 
eldest  son  died  in  hospital ;  and  as  Jansen 
was  at  sea  with  his  ship,  only  Jacob  came 
home  when  the  war  was  over.  Then  Jacob 
took  possession  of  his  home,  and  Madame 
went  back  to  her  house  on  William  Street; 
and  there  she  was  living  when  Catharine 
went  to  see  her.  The  same  store  was  still 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  house  —  only  the 
royalist  now  paid  a  large  rent  for  the  premises 
—  and  Catharine  went  into  it  to  ask  if 
Madame  Van  Clyffe  was  within.  The  place 
had  a  pleasant  smell  of  teas  and  spices,  and 
she  lingered  a  moment,  after  she  had  been 
answered.  So  it  happened  that  her  eyes 
rested  on  the  figure  of  an  Indian  god  seated 
on  a  shelf,  among  bundles  of  cinnamon  bark, 
and  bowls  of  nutmegs,  and  jars  of  preserved 
ginger.  And  the  shelf  was  like  a  page  out  of 
a  romance.  She  instantly  began  to  wonder 
what  brave  sailor  man  had  brought  the  image 
44 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

over  thousands  of  miles  of  tossing  seas ;  and 
the  incident  made  her  father  very  close  to  her 
memory.  As  she  went  up  the  bare,  rickety 
stairs  leading  to  her  grandmother's  rooms, 
she  thought  only  of  him ;  and  her  heart  was 
suddenly  troubled  with  fears  for  his  safety  — 
fears  which  she  had  never  before  felt. 

The  stairway  ended  in  a  narrow  passage ; 
and  there  were  two  closed  doors  in  it.  She 
tapped  lightly  on  one  of  them,  and  in  a 
moment  or  two  it  was  opened  wide ;  and  her 
grandmother  stood  looking  at  her. 

"  Well,  then,  who  are  you  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Grandmother  —  " 

"What?" 

"  Grandmother,  I  am  Catharine." 

"You!" 

"  It  is  so." 

"  Come  in,  then." 

She  led  the  way  into  the  front  room,  and 
then,  turning  to  Catharine,  asked,  "  But  why 
are  you  here  ? " 

45 


Trinity  Bells 

"  I  have  left  school ;  and  I  wished  to  see 
you." 

"  So  ?  Well,  then,  here  am  I  ;  "  and  she 
stood  squarely  before  the  girl,  with  her  hands 
resting  on  her  hips,  and  her  eyes  fixed  on  the 
fair,  flushing  face  lifted  to  hers. 

She  was  a  tall  woman  with  a  broad,  strong 
countenance,  and  thick  light  hair,  tightly  drawn 
backward  under  a  white  linen  cap,  without  any 
border.  She  wore  a  dress  perfectly  Dutch  in 
its  character :  a  tight-fitting  bodice,  and  a  short 
quilted  petticoat  of  the  same  cloth  ;  home-knit 
stockings  of  grey  worsted,  clocked  with  scarlet; 
and  low  cut  shoes,  fastened  with  silver  latchets. 
But  Catharine  saw  none  of  these  things ;  the 
old  woman's  personality  dominated  all  such 
accidentals  as  petticoats  or  stockings ;  she  did 
not  even  notice  the  string  of  large  gold  beads 
round  her  neck.  It  was  the  masterful  look  in 
her  grey  eyes  and  the  sense  of  power  in  her 
strong  mouth  and  erect  figure  which  affected 
Catharine.  That  this  power  came  from  con- 
46 


«So  the  New  Days  Come" 

centration  of  will,  and  from  that  oneness  of 
mind  that  has  never  a  doubt  or  a  second 
thought  behind  it,  was  a  fact  which  Catharine 
neither  recognized  nor  reasoned  about.  But 
she  did  understand  at  once  that  this  grand 
mother,  of  whom  she  knew  so  little,  was  a  woman 
to  be  respected,  perhaps  even  loved.  So  she 
smiled  as  she  looked  in  the  old,  shrewd  coun 
tenance,  and  said  softly : 

"  I  see  that  you  are  very  like  my  dear 
father." 

"  Not  so  !  Not  so  ! "  was  the  quick,  curt 
reply ;  and  then  came  the  question  "  Why  have 
you  left  school  ?  " 

"  My  mother  needed  me." 

"  And  pray,  then,  at  this  strange  school, 
what  have  you  learned  ?  " 

"  I  have  learned  to  play  on  the  pianoforte 
and  the  guitar.  I  can  draw  and  paint  very 
well,  and  I  have  been  taught  to  speak  the 
French  tongue." 

**  En  waf  omtrent  de  Hollandsche  taal  ?  " 
47 


Trinity  Bells 

"  Grootmoeder,  ik  heb  mijn  moedertaal  met 
vergeten.1  Also  I  have  been  well  grounded  in 
all  useful  branches  of  learning,  and  there  is 
nothing  that  can  be  done  with  a  needle,  that  I 
cannot  perform  —  tambour  embroidery  and 
filigree  work  I  understand  well.  I  can  sprig 
gauze,  and  embroider  ribbons,  and  also  make 
the  most  beautiful  artificial  flowers." 

"  Rest  a  little.  A  girl  so  clever  is  a  girl  out 
of  a  book.  Who,  then,  is  to  do  the  spinning, 
and  baking,  and  cleaning,  and  cooking,  the 
making  of  clothes  and  the  mending  of  them  ? 
God  be  thanked !  to  such  fine  schools  all  the 
girls  do  not  go." 

"  Grandmother,  I  can  spin  thirty-four  cuts 
of  flax  in  one  day,  and  the  other  things  I  shall 
learn  in  time  from  my  dear  mother." 

"  To  speak  truth  —  for  I  like  the  truth  — 
I  see  not  what  use  there  is  in  this  music 
and  French.  A  different  thing  is  the  fine 

1  "  And  what  about  the  Dutch  language  ?  " 
«« Grandmother,  I  have  not  forgotten  my  mother  tongue." 

48 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

needlework,  but  I  like  not  pianofortes.  Your 
cousins  Gertrude  and  Alida  last  week  were 
cross  and  unhappy  because  they  also  want 
a  pianoforte.  Why  do  they  want  such  a 
thing  ?  I  never  had  a  pianoforte,  and  yet  I 
am  very  contented." 

"If  you  could  hear  my  dear  teachers  sing 
their  sweet  songs  to  its  music,  then  you  also 
would  want  a  pianoforte,  my  grandmother." 

"I  would  not.  Of  that  I  am  sure.  Your 
cousins  have  a  negro  man,  who,  when  they 
want  to  dance,  plays  the  riddle  very  well.  And 
they  have  music  in  the  church.  I  am  not 
opposed  to  music  in  the  church,  but  music  in 
the  house,  when  there  is  no  dancing  and  no 
company,  that,  in  my  opinion,  is  not  moral 
or  respectable  —  it  is  not  the  Dutch  style. 
Listen !  The  good  God  gave  you  not  life  to 
waste  it." 

"  I  do  not  intend  to  waste  my  life,  grand 
mother.     I    intend   to  work,  and  to  use  my 
life  for  something  good." 
4  49 


Trinity  Bells 


"  To  work !  "  and  she  lifted  Catharine's 
small  white  hands,  and  then  let  them  fall  with 
a  shrug  of  her  broad  shoulders.  "  Work ! 
What  can  those  hands  do  ?  Look  here !  " 
and  she  held  out  her  own  hands  ;  large,  cap 
able,  full-veined,  and  graven  all  over  with  the 
unmistakable  signs  of  daily  labor. 

"  You  shall  see  that  my  hands  can  work, 
grandmother." 

"  So  ?  "  she  spoke  with  a  tone  of  incredul 
ity,  and  Catharine  rose  and  went  to  look  at  a 
magnificent  piece  of  Middelburg  tapestry 
hanging  against  the  wall. 

"  How  beautiful  is  this  work ! "  she  cried 
in  an  enthusiasm.  "  Such  a  border  is  beyond 
all  praise.  Oh,  how  much  I  would  like  to 
copy  it ! " 

But  Madame  Judith  Van  Clyffe  made  no 
answer  to  Catharine's  eager  desire.  She 
watched  her  a  few  moments  and  then  said, 
te  If  to  work  you  want,  then  go  not  from  one 
thing  to  another,  like  a  key  that  will  not  fit 
50 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

any  lock.  What  you  will  do,  choose,  and 
then  stand  firmly  by  that  choice.  And  in  a 
hurry  be  not.  With  time  every  one  gets 
into  their  right  place.  Now,  then,  I  wish  you 
to  go  away.  This  afternoon  I  have  many 
things  to  do,  and  listen  to  me !  say  not  to 
your  cousins  that  you  have  been  here ;  for 
then  they  also  would  come,  and  it  is  not  my 
desire  to  be  disturbed  in  my  own  house." 

She  spoke  coldly  and  with  determination, 
and  Catharine  felt  that  she  was  no  longer 
wanted.  No  opportunity  to  speak  of  her 
father's  absence  had  been  given  her,  and 
her  abrupt  dismissal  made  it  impossible.  Her 
affections  and  her  pride  were  both  wounded, 
and  she  thought  it  best  not  to  go  at  once  to 
her  home.  The  beloved  mother  had  sorrow 
enough,  why  should  she  add  to  it?  So  she 
walked  down  to  the  Battery,  and  stood  there, 
and  let  the  fresh  salt  wind  blow  away  the  little 
fret  and  tumult  of  her  hurt  feelings.  And  as 
she  waited,  her  thoughts  were  busy  with  the 

S1 


Trinity  Bells 


j 


future.  She  knew  she  would  have  to  work, 
and  she  looked  earnestly  at  the  small,  slender 
hands  which  had  provoked  such  scornful  un 
belief  in  their  ability.  Between  her  and  the 
happy  life  she  had  dreamed  of  living,  there 
seemed  to  have  suddenly  arisen  a  high,  blank 
wall ;  would  those  small  hands  be  able  to  help 
her  over  it  ?  And  as  she  wondered,  a  thought 
leaped  into  her  mind,  and  it  was  as  if  she  had 
seen  a  door  open  in  that  wall.  With  an  eager 
light  in  her  eyes,  and  a  smile  on  her  lips,  she 
turned  and  began  to  walk  rapidly  homeward. 

Her  mother  was  standing  at  the  window, 
watching  for  her  return,  and  she  instantly 
resolved  to  say  nothing  of  her  grandmother's 
hasty  dismissal ;  for  perhaps,  after  all,  she 
had  no  reason  to  take  offence.  So  she  met 
her  mother  with  pleasant  words,  and  they  sat 
down  to  talk  of  her  visit. 

"  It  is  a  far  better  report  than  I  expected," 
said  Madame  Van  Clyffe ;  "but  did  you  not 
speak  of  your  father  at  all  to  her  ?  " 
52 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

"  Only  once,  and  she  put  the  subject  away 
with  a  curt  answer.  Is  she  very  angry  with 
father?" 

"  I  fear  so.  He  grieved  her  many  years 
ago,  and  she  does  not  forgive." 

"  But  at  last  she  will  forgive,  for  I  do  not 
think  she  is  really  hard.  I  shall  pray  to  the 
good  God  about  it ;  for  the  heart  that  is 
closed  to  us  may  be  open  to  God." 

"  Dear  one,  that  is  the  truth.  Now,  then, 
I  will  talk  to  you  of  the  only  thing  that  is  to 
be  done.  Many  nights  and  days  I  have 
thought  it  over,  and  I  am  sure  that  we  shall 
not  fail.  You  see  that  this  is  a  very  beautiful 
house.  There  are  in  it  many  rooms,  all  well 
furnished.  We  can  rent  four,  even  six  of 
them,  and  then  there  will  remain  more  than  we 
require  for  our  own  use.  Claes  Brevoort  is  of 
my  mind.  He  says  that  he  knows  the  cap 
tains  of  all  the  large  foreign  packets,  and  that 
he  will  speak  to  them  about  us.  They  bring 
many  rich  travellers  who  will  be  glad  to  pay 

S3 


Trinity  Bells 


for  comfortable  lodgings.  Do  you  under 
stand?" 

"  Yes,  mother." 

"  Bosnay  will  do  the  cooking,  Sibbey  the 
laundry  work,  Jane  will  attend  to  the  chambers 
and  wait  on  the  table,  and  old  Pop  will  cut  the 
wood  and  keep  the  fires  going.  I  must  be 
housekeeper,  and  you,  my  dear  little  girl, 
must  set  the  table,  and  dust  the  parlors,  and 
wash  the  fine  china  and  silver.  Can  you  do 
all  this?" 

"  Oh,  my  mother !  I  can  do  all  you  say, 
and  much  more.  So  glad  I  will  be  to  have 
my  hands  full  from  morning  to  night !  I  have 
also  a  very  good  thought.  I  will  write  a  little 
note  to  Mrs.  Van  Home,  and  to  Mrs.  White, 
and  tell  them  how  beautifully  I  can  sprig  crape 
gowns,  and  embroider  ribbons,  and  paint  hand 
fans,  and  work  crests  and  initials  on  hand 
kerchiefs,  and  fine  linen,  and  when  I  add 
that  I  learned  these  things  from  the  Mora 
vian  Sisters  I  shall  have  plenty  of  such  work, 

54 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

and    can    make,    I    think,  a    great    deal    of 
money." 

"  Darling  Tryntje,  I  cannot  permit  you  to 
do  such  a  thing !  Do  you  not  know  that 
these  ladies  have  been  intimate  with  me  when 
the  Government  was  in  Philadelphia  and  I 
was  staying  with  my  father?  I  have  often 
thought  that  I  would  renew  my  acquaintance 
with  them  when  your  education  was  finished, 
in  order  that  you  might  have  the  advantage 
of  their  society.  Oh,  my  child,  how  can  I  bear 
to  see  you  embroider  their  gowns,  when  I  have 
always  hoped,  that  you  would  be  received  by 
them  as  their  friend  ?  " 

"  Mother,  I  shall  be  quite  as  happy  em 
broidering  as  dancing.  Besides,  I  am  yet  too 
young  to  go  to  balls  and  parties,  and  before 
the  right  time  comes,  who  knows  what  may 
happen  ?  There  was  a  Scotch  girl  at  Bethle 
hem,  who  used  in  every  disappointment  to 
comfort  herself  with  an  ancient  rhyme  that 
went  like  this : 

55 


Trinity  Bells 

"  'Bide  ye  yet,  and  bide  ye  yet, 

Ye  never  ken  what  will  betide  ye  yet ;  ' 

and  at  any  rate,  father  may  come  home  some 
day  when  we  are  not  thinking  of  such  a  good 
thing." 

But  Madame  Van  Clyffe  was  hard  to  per 
suade  ;  it  was  not  until  Catharine  laid  her  wet 
cheek  against  her  mother's,  and  with  loving 
kisses  pleaded  for  her  own  way  that  she  gave 
in  so  far  as  to  promise,  if  Paul  was  willing,  no 
further  objection  should  be  made  to  her  pro 
posal.  These  plans  gave  them  much  to  talk 
over,  but  they  also  filled  their  hearts  with  new 
hopes.  Life  began  to  look  possible  to 
Madame  Van  Clyffe,  and  Catharine  had  all 
the  bright,  self-denying  enthusiasms  which 
make  youth  so  lovely  and  so  lovable.  It  is 
true  she  was  disappointed,  and  a  flush  of 
annoyance  flamed  in  her  cheeks  when  she 
thought  of  Lucia  and  Mary  and  Elsie.  She 
had  anticipated  so  many  pleasures,  and  had 
promised  to  write  them  full  accounts  of  all 
56 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

her  mother's  visitors,  and  all  her  own  amuse 
ments,  in  the  gay  and  great  city  of  New  York. 
It  would  be  humiliating  to  acknowledge  the 
change  which  had  taken  place  in  her  circum 
stances  ;  and  for  a  moment  or  two  she  felt  that 
she  would  rather  break  her  promise  to  write 
than  do  so ;  but  she  soon  put  down  the  un 
worthy  thought,  and  resolved,  in  order  to 
punish  it,  to  make  her  confession  of  poverty 
as  complete  as  the  truth  demanded. 

About  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Cathar 
ine's  mother  said :  "  My  child,  your  brother 
would  certainly  tell  Gertrude  and  Alida  of  your 
return.  I  think,  then,  they  will  call  here  very 
soon.  Will  you  not  put  on  something  that  is 
prettier  than  your  brown  dress  ? " 

Catharine  glanced  at  her  simple  gown,  and 
her  small  white  apron  with  its  ruffled  bib,  and 
answered :  "  I  think  this  dress  is  quite  proper 
in  my  own  home,  and  there  is  now  no  time 
to  change  it.  Some  one  is  knocking  at  the 
door,  and  I  dare  say  it  is  my  cousins." 

57 


Trinity  Bells 

They  listened  a  moment  in  silence,  and  th«?ji 
there  was  a  sound  of  voices  and  a  rustle  of 
drapery,  and  the  parlor  door  was  opened  for 
two  girls,  who  seemed  to  be  about  Catharine's 
age.  Both  were  pretty,  and  the  younger, 
Alida,  was  considered  a  beauty ;  but  all 
three  girls  had  the  curling,  golden  hair,  the 
brilliant  complexions,  and  the  tall  supple 
figures  of  those  Zealand  women,  who  for  cen 
turies  had  drunk  in  health  and  beauty  from  the 
great  North  Sea. 

Madame  Van  ClyfFe  soon  left  them  alone, 
and  then  Gertrude  at  once  threw  off  her  great 
coat  of  dove-colored  taffeta,  and  her  large  hat, 
heavy  with  feathers.  Alida  instantly  followed 
her  example.  Then  they  asked  Catharine  to 
play  for  them  on  the  pianoforte ;  and  they 
were  filled  with  amazement  and  some  little 
envy  at  her  skill. 

"  Father  would  buy  us  an  instrument, " 
said  Gertrude,  "but  our  grandmother  Van 
ClyfFe  will  not  permit  it.  To  be  sure,  we  have 

58 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

to  obey  her,  for  she  is  very  rich ;  but  for  all 
that,  I  think  when  women  fall  so  far  behind 
the  times,  they  ought  to  —  retire." 

"  However,"  said  Alida,  "  she  is  not  against 
the  singing  school.  It  is  held  by  Mr.  Keller, 
in  the  vestry  of  the  church  ;  and  Gertrude  has 
been  asked  to  sing  in  the  choir." 

"  Then  I  am  sure  you  will  sing  for  me," 
said  Catharine,  turning  to  her  cousin.  "And 
here  are  some  of  the  newest  songs." 

"  I  know  all  the  hymns  and  songs  in  the 
1  Chorister's  Companion '  "  answered  Gertrude, 
"  but  they  may  not  be  the  newest.  However, 
both  I  and  Alida  can  sing  by  note." 

"  Here  are  the  latest  songs,  then,"  said 
Catharine.  "  This  English  hunting  catch,  c  A 
Hunting  we  will  go.'  Do  you  know  it  ?  Or 
*  Soldier  Tired  with  War's  Alarms,'  or  *  The 
Cottage  Maid,'  or  '  The  Heaving  of  the  Lead,' 
or  Gluck's  'Come,  sweet  Sleep,'  or,  if  you 
like  best  an  American  chorus,  here  is  one 
sung  on  the  last  Fourth  of  July "  —  and 

59 


Trinity  Bells 


she  began  to   hum  softly  as  she  touched  the 
notes. 

"  Fly,  Fly,  swift-winged  Fame  ! 
The  news  proclaim, 
From  shore  to  shore  j 
Let  cannons  roar, 
And  joyful  voices  shout 
Columbia's  Name  !  " 

"  We  know  not  one  of  those,"  said  Alida  ; 
"  are  they  pretty  ?  " 

Just  at  that  moment,  Trinity  Bells  began 
their  hour  chime,  and  the  girls  ceased  speaking 
until  the  delightful  melody  was  finished.  Then 
Catharine  said,  with  a  charming  excitement, 
"  Now,  I  know  what  will  please  us  all !  I  have 
here  a  famous  bell  round.  It  is  for  three 
voices.  Let  us  learn  it  together.  It  will  pass 
half  an  hour  so  delightfully.  It  is  called  'Christ 
Church  Bells,'  but  we  will  sing  it  for  c  Trinity 
Bells ! '  " 

They  were  delighted  at  the  proposal  and 
eager  to  begin,  and  as  the  music  was  easily 

60 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

read,   in    ten    minutes    they   were   filling   the 
house  with  the  old-world  melody. 


TRINITY   BELLS! 


._ 

(?h          i                           r 

9            f 

Eu                                C 

1 

3                  i/ 

Hark,                 to  sweet  Trin     -     i  -  ty       bells  1  one, 

/)     u                                                                                               .- 

i/  i  ?    «   •             "       » 

/L  U     r                    f 

9 

r           r 

f  h                   y 

_ 

WJ         1                         E 

i           I 

Hark,                 the  first  and            sec-ond      bell, 

That 

y  i  "  i      r     i      i 

' 

c 

r      r    r     r 

Sdo       j      G      C      u 

-C    u 

EfcezzZZ      f.      *      * 

r^            I/ 

.I/    u    1 

Tin  -gle,  tin  -  gle,  ting,  goes  the  small  bell  at  nine,  To 


£E* 


;    J|  J.   JJ-J: 


two,  three,  four,  five,  six,They  sound  so    woundy  great,  So 


ifc 


-£ — 0- 


ev  -  cry    day,  at  four  and  ten, Cry  come,  come,  come,  come, 


^ 


-\ 


m 


•     e 


call        the  chil-dren  home ;      But  there  's  none  will  sleep  till 
61 


Trinity  Bells 


^n    ^?     4i        i 

i   •   • 

ErEi:  2  *  ^—V- 

'                       i 

r 

f 

I 

;     _E 

L 

won-d'rous  sweet,  and  they  troll  so  mer-ri  -  ly,    mer  -  ri  -  ly. 

n   N                           ' 

Jtrds               • 

/r  n           is     i>            « 

-* 

i     i 

s                0 

A    *        8 

Etp.                  Li 

15 

<vT7                                            g        v 

L 

IJ 

«7                                                                                                                         ' 

come  to  pray'rs,  and  the  Verger  troops        be  -  fore  the  Dean 

n   t-i   i 

V  *  *  -                 \    \ 

i 

XT  -h    J    P           P    ^ 

I 

1 

fm^7    *          * 

-« 

1 

they  hear  the  deep,  deep  boom  of  might    -   y        Tom. 

It  delighted  them  so  much  that  for  nearly  an 
hour  they  followed  each  other  round  and  round 
in  this  tuneful  fugue  or  unison.  Then  they 
were  tired  and  Alida  began  to  ask  questions. 

"  Who  or  what  is  this  '  mighty  Tom  ? '  Cath 
arine  "  she  said.  "Is  it  possible  that  ydu  know  ? " 

"  I  know,"  answered  Catharine,  "  because 
Brother  Van  Vleck,  the  principal  of  Bethlehem 
school,  told  us  when  we  learned  the  music. 
He  would  not  allow  us  to  sing  what  we  did 
not  understand.  He  said  that  f  Mighty  Tom  ' 
or  f  Great  Tom  '  is  a  large  bell,  given  to  Christ 
Church,  Oxford,  in  the  year  1545,  and  that  it 
strikes  one  hundred  and  one  strokes  every 

62 


"So  the  New  Days  Come*' 

night  to  remind  people  of  the  splendid  char 
ities  which  had  founded  there  one  hundred  and 
one  scholarships.  He  told  us  also,  that  there 
was  a  '  Great  Tom '  of  Lincoln,  and  a  '  Great 
Peter*  of  York,  and  that f  Dunstan'  of  Canter 
bury,  and  *  Edward '  of  St.  Paul's  were  all 
famous  bells.  When  a  King  of  England  or 
an  Archbishop  or  a  Lord  Mayor  of  London 
dies,  then  the  clapper  of  c  Edward '  of  St. 
Paul's  is  muffled.  This  clapper  weighs  one 
hundred  and  eighty  pounds,  and  its  muffled 
tone,  so  dull  and  booming,  is  said  to  be 
awful,  and  not  long  to  be  endured." 

"  All  this  is  very  interesting,"  said  Gertrude, 
"  but  let  us  now  see  some  of  your  needlework.. 
Aunt  Sarah  has  told  us  about  it,  and  to  be 
sure  Maria  Van  Vleck,  who  was  also  at  Beth 
lehem,  has  some  very  fine  things  to  show." 

Then    they   went   together    to    Catharine's 

room    and    examined    her    embroideries    and 

paintings,  and  she  gave  to  Gertrude  a  pretty 

fan  which  she  had  painted,  and  to  Alida  a  piece 

63 


Trinity  Bells 


of  ribbon  embroidered  with  rosebuds.  Then 
they  talked  of  her  school  experiences  and  com 
panions,  and  Gertrude  said  she  had  seen  Elsie 
Evertsen  at  church ;  "  and  her  father  is  very 
rich,"  she  added.  "They  have  a  fine  coun 
try  house  in  Greenwich  village,  and  they 
own  many  slaves  and  live  in  a  most  genteel 
manner." 

About  five  o'clock  the  girls  were  all  tired. 
They  had  talked,  and  sung,  and  wondered,  and 
criticised,  and  praised,  and  explained  till  every 
subject  was  exhausted.  "And  I  think  we 
ought  to  go  home  early,"  said  Gertrude,  "  for 
there  was  something  unusual  happening,  I  am 
sure.  Everywhere  in  the  streets  men  were 
standing  together  and  talking  as  if  they  were 
angry.  I  dare  say  it  is  war.  For  my  part,  I 
shall  not  be  sorry  if  we  make  up  our  minds  to 
give  those  insolent  Frenchmen  a  few  lessons 
in  minding  their  own  business." 

"  I  do  not  understand,"  said  Catharine. 

"  But  very  soon  you  will  understand.  Noth- 
64 


It  delighted  them  so  much  that  for  nearly  an  hoar  they  followed  each 
other  round  and  round  in  this  tuneful  fugue  or  unison  " 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

ing  else  is  now  talked  about  but  war  —  war, 
and  only  war.  Every  young  man  is  for  fight 
ing  France ;  and  indeed  many  of  the  old  men 
have  also  the  same  temper.  My  father  says, 
'  we  must  be  protected  in  our  trade  and  com 
merce,  lawfully  if  possible,  lawfully  with  vio 
lence,  if  need  be.'  I  think  to-day,  perhaps, 
there  has  come  the  '  need-be.' ' 

As  this  conversation  was  in  progress,  Cath 
arine  was  assisting  her  cousins  to  put  on  their 
great-coats  and  hats ;  and  as  soon  as  their 
toilet  was  completed,  they  went  away  with 
many  expressions  of  pleasure  and  friendship. 
But  Catharine  was  sad,  and  she  knew  not  why, 
until  she  found  her  mother  knitting  by  the 
window  in  the  house  place.  Then  she  under 
stood.  It  was  care.  She  had  put  it  away 
while  entertaining  her  cousins,  but  it  was  there 
waiting  for  her  ;  and,  somehow,  the  hope  that 
had  lightened  it  while  she  talked  with  her 
mother  had  fled  away.  She  almost  felt  as 
if  she  had  done  wrong  to  be  so  happy  while 


Trinity  Bells 


that  dumb  fear  about  her  father  was  in  her 
heart,  and  while  their  future  was  so  unsettled 
and  uncertain. 

"  You  have  had  a  happy  afternoon,  Tryntje, 
I  think." 

"  Yes,  mother,"  she  answered;  "but  I  should 
have  been  happier  alone  with  you.  I  tried 
once  or  twice  to  tell  Gertrude  and  Alida  what 
we  must  do  ;  but,  mother,  it  seems  so  hard  to 
talk  of  poverty.  You  would  imagine  people 
knew  when  you  were  going  to  begin  and  pur 
posely  turned  the  conversation." 

"  It  was  better  not  to  speak  until  our  plans 
are  settled.  To-night  Paul  will  not  go  out, 
and  we  can  talk  everything  down  to  the  last 
letter.  Paul  has  a  great  deal  of  fore-sense, 
and  he  is  not  discouraging." 

In  fact,  Paul  proved  to  be  full  of  encourage 
ment.  He  said  Mrs.  Daubigney  and  other 
ladies  of  the  highest  respectability  rented  part 
of  their  houses,  and  that  Catharine's  plan  was 
entirely  sensible,  and  very  creditable.  And 
66 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

with  this  assurance  they  talked  over  each 
proposition  in  all  its  relations,  and  Paul  took  a 
piece  of  paper  and  noted  the  probable  expenses 
of  the  house,  and  the  probable  income  from 
al!  sources.  It  seemed  businesslike  to  him, 
and  Madame  Van  Clyffe  had  the  most  pro 
found  respect  for  figures.  So  when  Paul  had 
added  up  his  list  and  declared  that  there 
"might  be  a  surplus  of  perhaps  fifty  dollars 
a  month,"  all  were  confident  and  happy. 
Fifty  dollars  a  month  seemed  a  very  nice  sum 
to  come  and  go  on,  and  Madame  even  felt  a 
slight  stirring  of  that  spirit  of  thrift,  which  the 
Dutch  nature  is  seldom  quite  without.  Her 
mother-in-law's  cleverness  and  economies  dur 
ing  the  Revolutionary  war,  were  a  standing 
subject  for  family  pride,  and  there  came  into 
her  heart  a  glow  of  commercial  ambition. 
Perhaps  she  also  might  make  money  and  be 
able  to  prove  to  this  woman  who  had  always 
slighted  her  abilities  that  she  had  not  deserved 
the  scorn  meted  out  to  her. 
67 


Trinity  Bells 


It  was  nearly  ten  o'clock  when  they  separ 
ated,  —  Madame  and  Catharine  both  full  of 
hope,  and  almost  eager  for  the  morrow,  that 
they  might  at  once  begin  their  new  life.  But 
Paul,  as  soon  as  he  was  alone,  sank  to  the 
level  of  his  own  feelings,  which  were  neither 
happy  nor  hopeful.  It  grieved  the  young 
man  that  he  could  not  make  sufficient  money 
to  support  the  mother  and  sister  whom  he  so 
tenderly  loved.  And  besides  this,  the  money 
he  did  earn  was  made  in  sorrow  and  disappoint 
ment.  His  whole  nature  cried  out  for  the 
sea,  and  he  hated  the  business  of  tanning 
with  an  intensity  which  he  dared  not  explain. 
It  made  him  sick.  It  filled  him  with  unspeak 
able  longings  to  run  a  thousand  miles  away. 
He  had  nearly  finished  his  course  of  navigation 
and  his  hands  burned  for  the  wheel.  He 
could  think  only  of  ships  and  the  sea.  He 
was  like  a  stormy  petrel  shut  up  in  a  cage. 
And  he  believed  no  one  understood  or  pitied 
him. 

68 


"So  the  New  Days  Come" 

For  a  little  while  he  indulged  himself  in  this 
dangerous  luxury  of  self-pity ;  then  he  remem^ 
bered,  not  only  his  mother's  and  sister's 
unspoken  sympathy,  but  the  expressed  fellow- 
feeling  of  a  man  so  undemonstrative  as  his 
Uncle  Jacob.  It  was  on  a  certain  hot  day, 
when  his  work  had  been  specially  intolerable, 
and  he  had  not  hesitated  to  express  his  hatred 
of  it  Without  anger,  Jacob  Van  ClyfFe  lis 
tened  to  his  complaints,  and  thus  answered 
them : 

"  Paul,  thou  art  dissatisfied.  For  thee  I  am 
sorry.  Yes,  indeed  !  But  complaining  is  not 
for  men.  Patience !  The  better  time  will 
come.  The  bare  twigs,  the  frozen  river,  do 
they  complain  ?  Not  so.  They  wait !  " 

And  Paul  was  not  sorry  to  remember  that 
he  had  looked  up  at  his  uncle  with  grateful 
tears  in  his  eyes.  They  wait!  The  words 
comforted  him.  He  said  them  over  fre 
quently,  and  finally  went  to  sleep  with  them 
on  his  lips. —  They  wait  I 

69 


Ill 

The  Stranger  in  the  House 


CHAPTER   III 

THE    STRANGER    IN    THE    HOUSE 

"TT  TAKE  up,  Catharine,  you  have  a  great 
deal  to  do  to-day."  This  was  what 
the  busy-hearted  girl  said  to  herself  as  soon  as 
she  opened  her  eyes.  She  was  eager  to  begin 
her  new  life,  and  full  of  almost  impossible 
resolutions  as  to  the  amount  of  work  she  could 
do.  Her  heart  was  so  brave  and  loving,  her 
ideas  of  duty  so  large,  her  confidence  in  her 
own  strength  and  abilities  so  great,  that  things 
impossible  seemed  reasonable.  All  she  feared 
was  that  the  days  would  not  be  long  enough 
to  permit  the  accomplishment  of  her  plans. 

Her  happy,  hopeful  temper  soon  influenced 
her  mother,  and  even  sent  Paul  to  his  hated 
work  with  a  lighter  heart.      No  one  could  re 
sist  her  air  of  busy  happiness  and  that  assuring 
73 


Trinity  Bells 


quality  of  success  which  entered  into  all  she 
said  and  did.  The  first  of  the  duties  was  to 
remove  from  the  rooms  to  be  rented  all  family 
portraits  and  personal  property,  and  to 
empty  drawers  and  wardrobes  of  clothing  and 
linen.  In  this  work  Catharine  was  especially 
useful.  To  and  fro,  from  room  to  room,  up 
and  down  stairs,  from  floor  to  floor  she  went, 
carrying  out  her  mother's  instructions  with  a 
cheerful  intelligence.  And  no  one  needs  to  be 
told  how  this  kind  of  work  threw  the  whole 
house  into  confusion.  Pictures  had  to  be  re- 
hung,  and  fresh  places  found  for  clothes  and 
linen ;  and  when  all  this  was  accomplished,  glass 
and  paint  already  spotless  were  to  be  made 
more  spotless,  and  floors  already  waxed  and 
polished  to  the  danger  point,  to  be  waxed  and 
polished  still  higher.  The  Dutch  passion  for 
cleanliness  was  inherent  in  both  mother  and 
daughter,  and  for  a  week  they  indulged  it  to  its 
fullest  extent. 

It   had    been  latent  in    Catharine's   nature 
74 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

hitherto,  but  in  this  one  week  of  action  it 
obtained  a  position  in  her  ideas  that  no  after 
experience  altered.  Henceforward,  her  room 
was  not  only  neat  and  tidy;  it  had  an  almost 
religious  atmosphere  of  spotlessness.  And 
there  were  times  when  this  atmosphere  was  of 
great  —  though  perhaps  unrecognized  —  moral 
service  to  her ;  when  she  found  in  the  stillness 
and  repose  which  accompanied  its  purity  and 
order  a  peace  and  strength  that  would  not  have 
been  present  in  a  room  full  of  the  restlessness 
that  abides  with  confusion  and  disorder.  So 
that,  apart  from  all  other  service,  she  endowed 
herself,  in  this  one  week  of  household  duty, 
with  a  sensibility  which  affected  her  whole 
future  in  the  most  favorable  manner. 

And,  though  she  was  not  aware  of  the  fact, 
never  had  her  great  beauty  been  so  remarkable. 
Her  home  dress  had  always  been  Dutch  in 
character,  and  this  dress  she  felt  instinctively 
was  the  most  suitable  for  her  employment. 
But  then,  how  pretty  it  was  !  Her  little  feet 
75 


Trinity  Bells 

in  their  buckled  shoes  were  admirably  supple 
mented  by  the  short  quilted  petticoat  and 
white  linen  bodice,  while  the  last  touch  of 
quaintness  was  given  by  the  peculiar  small 
white  cap  which  she  had  worn  at  school,  and 
which  she  now  assumed  to  cover  and  keep  in 
place  her  beautiful  hair.  Nowhere  out  of  a 
picture  could  have  been  found  so  lovely  a  girl 
in  a  dress  so  picturesque  and  so  suitable. 
When  she  first  appeared  in  it  her  mother 
involuntarily  smiled  approval  and  Paul  stopped 
drinking  his  coffee  to  look  at  her,  and  then 
sententiously  declared  :  "  For  the  Dutch  girl 
there  is  nothing  so  beautiful  as  the  Dutch  dress." 
It  certainly,  after  this  experience,  became  a 
favorite  house  costume  with  Catharine.  Even 
if  she  put  on  a  more  fashionable  dress  in  the 
afternoon  it  was  a  little  Dutch  girl  in  short 
quilted  petticoats  and  pretty  linen  bodice  that 
came  pattering  downstairs  every  morning  and 
went  singing  about  the  house-place,  setting  the 
breakfast-table  and  rubbing  the  least  speck  of 

76 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

dust  from  off  the  furniture.  And  it  was  a  little 
Dutch  girl  that  a  month  after  this  might 
always  be  found  in  her  mother's  parlor,  paint 
ing  fans  and  screens  or  embroidering  gowns 
and  ribbons  with  an  industry  that  grudged 
every  hour  that  chimed.  So  much  so  that  she 
would  frequently  say  : 

"  Oh  bells  !  I  know  you  are  all  wrong.  It 
is  not  half  an  hour  since  you  said  f  Ten  o'clock, 
Katryntje,'  and  now  you  are  chiming  eleven." 

This  month  had  been  on  the  whole  a  very  in 
teresting  one.  Madame  had  not,  indeed,  rented 
her  best  rooms,  but  the  three  on  the  upper 
floor  were  occupied  by  Jacob  Van  Clyffe's 
book-keeper  and  by  two  of  the  clerks  in  the 
Bank  of  New  York.  To  be  sure  the  fifty 
dollars  surplus  which  Paul  had  so  confidently 
predicted  was  not  apparent,  but  then,  as  he 
said,  "  every  business  must  have  time  to  grow, 
and  to  make  expenses  is  not  a  bad  beginning." 

The  undertaking  had  met  with  no  opposi 
tion.  When  the  house  was  ready  for  strangers 

77 


Trinity  Bells 

Madame  went  to  see  her  brother-in-law.  She 
explained  to  him  her  position  and  her  plans, 
and  he  approved  what  she  had  done,  and 
promised  to  help  her  in  any  way  within  his 
power.  Then  they  spoke  of  The  Golden 
Victory  and  her  captain,  and  Jacob  was  much 
distressed  to  hear  of  his  brother's  long  silence. 

"  But  dead  he  is  not,  Sarah  !  "  he  said  with 
great  positiveness.  "  At  sea  you  cannot  make 
things  go  smack-smooth.  My  dear  brother 
vjan  home  will  come.  Perhaps  with  the 
shadow  of  many  far-off  countries  on  his  face, 
but  yet,  home  he  will  come  !  As  for  me,  I  do 
not  fear  for  Jansen.  In  the  great  South  Sea 
there  are  calms,  than  any  tempest  far  worse. 
On  some  unknown  island  he  may  be  cast. 
Rich  lands  he  may  have  come  to,  never  before 
seen  by  any  man.  So  many  strange,  unlikely 
things  can  happen  to  the  ship  and  the  sailor. 
Sarah,  fear  not.  In  the  right  hour  home  comes 
every  wanderer." 

"Jan  was  always  so  careful  to  provide  for 
73 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

our  wants.  I  think  it  will  grieve  him  much, 
Jacob,  that  I  have  had  to  rent  my  house." 

"  Not  so.  To  be  poor  is  not  sinful.  Who 
ever  is  poor  may  say  so.  There  must  be  poor 
people.  That  is  necessary." 

"  Claes  Brevoort  is  of  your  opinion,  but  not 
so  Jan's  friend,  Van  Beveland ;  he  thinks  I  do 
a  wrong  to  Jan  to  work,  and  to  take  strangers 
into  his  home." 

"Van  Beveland!  He,  indeed!  He  is 
proud,  he  scoffs  at  honest  labor  —  but  then 
he  is  a  Lutheran.  Go  your  way,  Sarah,  work 
boldly,  and  leave  the  rest  to  God." 

It  was  Catharine  who  broke  the  news  to  her 
cousins.  She  had  written  that  morning  a 
letter  to  her  school  companions,  telling  them 
plainly  of  her  father's  long  absence,  and  her 
mother's  want  of  money,  and  their  intentions 
for  the  future.  It  had  cost  her  a  little  pain  at 
first  to  do  this ;  but  as  she  wrote  she  gathered 
courage  and  independence,  and  the  closing 
page  of  her  letter  was  full  of  hope  and  antici- 

79 


Trinity  Bells 

pated  success ;  so  that  she  was  in  a  very  good 
mood  for  a  further  explanation. 

Yet,  with  an  instinctive  wisdom,  she  dressed 
herself  very  prettily  for  a  visit  to  her  cousins. 
It  was  a  beautiful  day  at  the  end  of  September ; 
and  as  soon  as  she  had  passed  beyond  the  city, 
the  still  serenity  of  the  autumn  was  all  around 
her.  The  air  was  subtle  and  ethereal ;  the 
foliage  of  the  trees,  thin  and  delicate ;  and  the 
wild  vines  covered  every  wall  and  fence  with  a 
richer  drapery  of  scarlet  and  purple  and  gold 
than  was  ever  woven  for  a  king's  robes.  Over 
the  few  late  flowers  the  bees  hummed  in  a 
melancholy  manner;  but  the  birds  sang  no 
more.  Even  the  merry  wrens  were  altered. 
They  had  become  shy,  and  they  twittered  and 
complained,  and  were  restless  and  anxious,  like 
those  going  on  long  journeys. 

Jacob  Van  Clyffe's  house  was  on  the  East 

River  bank ;  perhaps  three-quarters  of  a  mile 

beyond  the  city.     It  was  a  long  brick  house 

of  two  stories,  with  a  red  roof  and  big  square 

So 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

chimneys,  and  a  side  door  having  a  little  roof 
of  its  own,  and  a  kindly-looking  green  front 
door,  the  upper  half  of  which  was  open. 
Through  it  could  be  seen  the  dusky,  wide  hall, 
with  its  queer  table,  and  large  china  vases 
filled  with  sweet  clover  and  woodbine.  In 
serted  in  the  bricks  above  this  front  door  were 
some  Arabic  numerals  "A.  1700.  D."  It  was 
therefore  a  century-old  home,  comfortable 
and  prosperous-looking,  standing  well  back  in 
a  fine  garden  sloping  down  to  the  river  bank, 
where  there  was  a  shelter  for  a  boat,  and  some 
fishing  tackle.  Catharine  noticed  these  things, 
as  she  walked  up  to  the  door,  through  a  path 
bordered  with  flowers  and  shrubs,  and  sweet 
with  the  delicate  incense  of  the  odorous  ever 
lastings.  Her  cousins  saw  her  approach,  and 
ran  out  to  meet  and  welcome  her. 

"  Such    a    long    time    you    have    been    in 
coming,  Catharine,"  said  Alida  reproachfully. 
"  Every   day  we   have   looked   for   you,  and 
every  day  we  have  been  disappointed." 
6  81 


Trinity  Bells 

"  I  suppose,  then,  it  is  the  genteel  thing  to 
wait  ten  days  before  you  return  a  call  from 
your  near  kindred,"  said  Gertrude. 

"  I  know  not  anything  about  genteel  times, 
Gertrude,"  answered  Catharine.  "  I  could  not 
come  before  to-day,  because  I  have  been  help 
ing  my  mother,  who  has  been  very  busy 
indeed." 

"  Is  it  the  winter  cleaning  time  ?  But  no  ! 
Grandmother  says  in  three  weeks  it  will  be 
soon  enough  to  put  up  stoves,  and  lay  the  car 
pets.  Then  what  misery  it  is  !  But  there  is  no 
help  for  it  —  one  must  have  a  winter  cleaning." 

"It  was  not  the  winter  cleaning,"  answered 
Catharine.  "  Mother  is  going  to  rent  most  of 
our  house,  and  I  was  helping  her  to  prepare 
it."  Then  she  went  on,  a  little  hurriedly, 
"  Mother  is  obliged  to  rent,  because  we  have 
heard  nothing  of  my  father  for  nearly  two  years, 
—  and  we  have  no  money." 

"  How  dreadful !  " 

"  It  is  very  inconvenient,  Alida,  but  I  do 
82 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

not  think  it  is  dreadful.  For  my  part,  I  am 
sure  it  will  be  rather  pleasant  to  work  and  to 
make  money.  I  am  going  to  embroider,  and 
paint  fans  and  screens.  I  wish  to  help  mother 
all  I  can." 

"  The  idea  !  The  very  idea  of  such  a  thing  ! 
Why  you  are  only  a  schoolgirl ! "  exclaimed 
Gertrude.  "  Grandmother  will  not  like  it. 
She  will  say  it  is  not  moral  and  respectable  — 
everything  she  disapproves  is  c  not  moral  and 
respectable.' ' 

"  That  I  cannot  help,  "  answered  Catharine. 
"  It  would  be  still  less  respectable  and  still 
more  immoral  to  borrow,  or  beg,  or  even  to 
complain.  I  think  mother  is  exactly  right. 
Paul  thinks  so  also,  and  Paul  is  sensitive  and 
has  very  fine  feelings." 

"  Paul  is  Paul  Van  Clyffe ;  that,  and  noth 
ing  else,"  said  Gertrude. 

"  That  is  sufficient.  One  cannot  be  more 
than  God  wills."  Catharine  spoke  with  a 
little  tone  of  offence,  for  she  was  very  fond 

83 


Trinity  Bells 

and  proud  of  her  brother,  and  Gertrude  in 
stantly  understood  the  feeling. 

"  No  offence  was  meant,  Tryntje,  and  so 
none  need  be  taken.  I  will  tell  you  what 
thought  has  come  into  my  mind.  Suppose 
you  teach  Alida  and  me  the  pianoforte. 
Suppose  you  ask  my  father.  He  will  not 
refuse  you,  and  if  he  says  c  Yes,'  even  grand 
mother  will  not  be  able  to  say  '  No.'  Have 
you  any  objections  to  teach  us  ? " 

C(  It  would  be  a  great  pleasure." 

"  Father  is  now  in  the  garden  among  his 
dahlias.  He  is  always  amiable  when  he  is  in 
the  garden.  Come,  let  us  go  and  talk  to  him." 

"  Very  well.  Brother  Van  Vleck  used  to 
tell  us  never  to  lose  an  opportunity.  I  should 
think  this  was  an  opportunity." 

"Well,  then,  come  and  see." 

They  went  hand  in  hand  through  the  dim, 
sweet  hall  and  out  through  the  off-dock,  full 
of  bright  milk-pans,  into  the  garden.  The 
walk  through  it,  down  to  the  river,  was  lined 

84 


Welcome,  little  one!'  said  Uncle  Jacob, 
over  for  thee  ? '  " 


'  So,  then,  school  is 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

with  maples  —  maples  that  had  the  last  night 
suffered  an  enchantment,  and  changed  their 
green  dress  for  one  of  crimson  and  brown  and 
orange.  Beyond  them  were  masses  of  flaming 
dahlias,  scarlet  and  yellow  and  purple  and 
white,  their  lovely  leaves  fluted  and  folded 
with  the  most  delicate  precision  and  beauty. 
Jacob  Van  Clyffe  stood  among  them  with  a 
pair  of  scissors  in  his  hand.  He  was  snipping 
off  all  that  was  withered,  and  pruning  all  that 
was  yet  growing;  and  his  face,  strong  and 
placid,  had  something  in  it  of  the  innocent 
pleasure  of  a  child.  He  looked  kindly  at  the 
three  girls,  and  stooped  and  kissed  Catharine 
on  the  forehead : 

"  Welcome,  little  one ! "  he  said.  <c  So,  then, 
school  is  over  for  thee  ? " 

"  Many  things,  uncle,  I  have  yet  to  learn." 

"That  is  the  truth.  Always  going  on,  in 
some  way,  is  the  education  of  life." 

Then  Gertrude  looked  at  Catharine  with 
eyes  which  would  not  be  denied,  and  Catharine 

85 


Trinity  Bells 

said,  "  Uncle,  you  know  that  at  the  present 
time  we  are  poor.  I  wish  to  help  my  mother, 
and  so  I  think  it  would  be  a  kind  thing  if  you 
permit  me  to  teach  my  cousins  how  to  play 
on  the  pianoforte.  They  are  very  desirous 
to  learn,  and  I  can  teach  them,  just  as  I  have 
been  taught.  It  would  be  a  great  kindness, 
Uncle  Jacob.  What  say  you  ?  " 

He  did  not  answer  at  once.  He  lifted  his 
eyes  and  looked  steadily  at  his  niece.  From 
her  simple,  modest  drapery,  her  bright  face 
looked  back  at  him  with  a  charming  expression 
of  hope,  goodness,  and  intelligence.  He  felt 
its  influence.  A  smile  slowly  spread  over  his 
countenance,  and  he  answered : 

"  It  is  the  way.  Talk  to  a  woman,  even  to  a 
littlegirl,andthen  she  asks  something  from  you." 

"  Dear  Uncle  Jacob,  to  whom  shall  little 
girls  go,  but  to  their  fathers  and  their  uncles  ? 
Of  ourselves  what  can  we  do  ?  " 

"  That  is  the  truth,  little  one.  So  you  must 
work  ? " 

86 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

"  I  wish  to  work,  uncle." 

"  Yes,  yes  !  But  let  me  tell  thee  something. 
Work  cheerfully.  Work  may  give  us  daily 
bread;  but  it  is  cheerfulness  that  gives  daily 
bread  relish." 

"  To  work  does  not  trouble  me,  uncle.  It  is 
necessary,  therefore  it  is  to  be  done." 

"  To  be  sure.  And  this  is  also  the  truth  :  if 
a  girl  rejects  work,  then  nothing  great  or  high 
will  ever  come  out  of  that  girl's  life.  Work, 
and  then  also  have  the  courage  to  be  happy." 

"  I  am  happy.     I  do  not  fear." 

"  Fear !  "  cried  Uncle  Jacob,  snapping  his 
fingers,  "  fear  is  made  of  nothing.  No  trouble 
that  can  come  will  shake  the  brave  heart. 
And  I  will  tell  you,  moreover,  that  the 
troubles  of  life  are  like  hills.  In  the  distance 
they  look  high ;  but  when  near  you  come, 
there  is  always  some  way  over  them." 

"That  is  true,  uncle.  But  what  about  the 
music  ?  " 

Then  he  laughed.     "  So !     I  see  that  you 
87 


Trinity  Bells 

have  your  grandmother's  way  —  you  stick  to 
the  point." 

"  I  will  teach  for  one  guinea  a  quarter, 
uncle." 

"  What  said  I  ?  First,  girls  ask  from  you 
a  favor ;  then  they  desire  you  to  pay  them  for 
taking  the  favor  —  that  follows  as  the  thread 
follows  the  needle.  I  should  also  have  to  buy 
a  pianoforte.  I  should  have  to  endure  the 
noise  of  it,  and  I  am  a  peace-loving  man.  I 
like  to  be  quiet —  to  think  — " 

"  If  you  had  only  heard  Gertrude  and  Alida 
singing  to  the  pianoforte  last  week  !  They 
have  most  sweet  voices.  And  you  could  sing 
with  them,  uncle  ;  it  would  be  a  great  pleasure." 

"  What  say  you  ?  I  think  it  would  make 
me  a  great  trouble.  Your  grandmother  would 
take  it  as  an  affront." 

"  But  a  man   does   as   he   likes,  uncle,   and 

grandmother  to  you  would  say :  l  If  you  wish 

to  buy  a  pianoforte,  Son  Jacob,  then  buy  one.' 

It  is  only  to   Gertrude  and  Alida  she  says : 

88 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

'There  shall  be  no  pianoforte.'  My  cousins 
must  come  to  you  for  their  desire.  You  have 
said  f  when  we  come  we  want  something.'  So 
it  is.  Do  not  refuse  us,  Uncle  Jacob.  I  must 
make  some  money  ;  I  wish,  then,  that  my  first 
money  should  come  out  of  your  purse." 

And  her  bright  young  eyes  looked  at  him 
with  such  eager  hopes  he  could  not  bear  to 
dash  them.  "  You  are  a  good  girl,  Katryntje  ! 
I  think  that  you  have  one  of  those  sweet  souls, 
in  which  nothing  will  turn  to  bitterness.  You 
may  teach  Gertrude  and  Alida,  and  I  will  pay 
you  one  guinea  each  quarter." 

"  For   each    pupil,   uncle.       It   is   best   to 
understand  at  the  beginning." 

"  You  are  right.  For  each  I  will  pay  one 
guinea.  To-morrow  you  must  go  with  me  to 
the  music  warehouse  of  Seton  and  Irving,  and 
show  me  how  to  choose  a  good  pianoforte. 
If  then  I  make  a  mistake,  I  shall  have  you  to 
put  the  blame  on." 

At   these   words   none   of  the   girls   could 
89 


Trinity  Bells 

restrain  their  joy.  They  put  their  arms 
around  his  neck  and  kissed  him.  They  told 
him  in  twenty  different  ways,  how  happy  he 
had  made  them  all.  And  surely  as  he  stood 
there  among  his  dahlias,  with  the  bright  young 
faces  against  his  face,  and  their  glad  words 
bringing  the  smiles  to  his  lips ;  he  also  was 
happy,  though  he  pretended  to  be  quite  alarmed 
at  the  thing  he  had  done. 

Then  the  girls  knew  it  was  best  to  go  away 
with  the  promise  they  had  obtained.  "  Father 
will  think  it  all  over  among  his  flowers,  and 
come  in  satisfied,"  said  Gertrude.  "  And  when 
shall  we  begin,  dear  Catharine  ?  "  she  asked. 

They  talked  the  matter  fully  over,  as  they 
strolled  and  stood  in  the  garden ;  and  it  was 
finally  agreed  that  each  girl  should  have  two 
lessons  weekly,  but  that  they  should  never 
both  come  on  the  same  day.  Then  Catharine 
said  she  must  go  home.  "  Mother  feels  so 
lonely  without  me,"  she  added,  with  a  pretty 
little  touch  of  pride  in  her  importance. 
90 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

"  And  we  shall  call  for  you  about  the  instru 
ment  to-morrow,"  said  Gertrude.  "  I  shall  be 
unhappy  until  it  is  bought.  And  indeed  I 
hope  grandmother  will  not  come  until  it  is  our 
own,  and  in  our  own  house.  When  a  thing  is 
done,  grandmother  knows  better  than  to  op 
pose  it.  She  will  say  :  ( Well,  then,  who  can 
teach  fools  wisdom  ? '  or  something  like  that 
—  and  after  a  little  while  she  will  make  some 
good  out  of  it.  I  think  I  shall  yet  hear  her 
say, f  My  granddaughters  have  very  fine  voices, 
and  I  am  not  opposed  to  them  singing  the 
popular  melodies.'  So,  and  so,  grandmother 
will  turn  herself  round,  and  then  declare  to 
every  one :  f  Where  my  principles  are  con 
cerned,  I  am  immovable/  ' 

"  I  would  not  speak  in  that  way  of  grand 
mother,  Gertrude.  It  is  not  right." 

"  She  is  so  provoking." 

"  She  is  the  mother  of  your  good  father." 

"  Thank  you,  cousin.  Do  not  be  too  ami 
able,  I  entreat  you." 


Trinity  Bells 

They  were  at  the  garden  gate  as  Gertrude 
said  these  words,  and  she  laughed  so  good- 
naturedly  that  no  offence  could  be  taken  at 
them.  Still  they  left  an  unpleasant  impression, 
and  Catharine  said  to  her  mother  as  they  talked 
over  the  successful  visit : 

"  I  am  sure  that  I  like  Alida  best.  Ger 
trude  is  very  selfish.  It  is  only  of  her  own 
pleasure  she  thinks.  I  could  see  that." 

"  Gertrude  is  vain,  and  a  vain  girl  is  always 
selfish.  Yet,  think  of  this  —  God  gave  to  her 
the  fine  voice  on  which  she  prides  herself;  God 
gave  to  her  the  pretty  face  and  graceful 
figure  of  which  she  is  so  vain ;  her  father  gave 
to  her  the  education  which  perfects  these  gifts, 
he  also  supplies  her  with  the  handsome  cloth 
ing  she  wears,  and  the  good  home  in  which 
she  lives ;  why  then  should  she  be  vain  ? 
What  has  she  done  to  warrant  such  approba 
tion  as  she  takes  to  herself,  or  such  admiration 
as  she  expects  from  others  ?  I  say  these  things, 
my  child,  to  warn  you  against  taking  to  your 
92 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

own  credit  the  credit  which  belongs  to  God 
and  your  parents ;  that  is  a  great  sin,  though 
girls  are  not  apt  to  think  of  it." 

The  next  day  the  pianoforte  was  selected, 
bought,  and,  to  Gertrude's  delight,  sent  home 
that  afternoon.  It  was  a  very  fine  instrument, 
a  Broadwood,  with  the  unusual  scale  of  five 
octaves,  and  the  following  week  the  music  les 
sons  began.  Gertrude,  who  had  genuine  talent, 
paid  great  attention  to  both  the  theory  and 
practice  of  the  art,  and  her  success  was  easily 
predicated,  from  her  very  first  lesson.  Alida 
had  neither  the  natural  ability,  nor  the  natural 
industry  of  her  elder  sister.  She  wished  only 
to  play  and  to  sing  the  pretty  dances  and 
songs  which  she  admired,  and  as  she  had  a 
good  ear,  with  a  fine  sense  of  time,  she  easily 
acquired  what  she  wished  to  learn  —  so  easily, 
that  she  was  impatient  of  the  necessary  techni 
cal  education,  and  it  was  difficult  for  Catharine 
to  gain  her  attention  for  the  hour's  lesson.  She 
interrupted  it  continually  to  talk,  to  tell  of 

93 


Trinity  Bells 

Gertrude's  and  her  own  disputes,  and  of  the 
small  impositions  and  household  tyrannies 
which  Gertrude,  as  the  elder,  imposed  upon 
her.  It  was  not  always  easy  to  evade  such  con 
fidences;  besides,  Catharine's  sympathies  were 
with  Alida.  She  had  felt  once  that  imperious 
glance  of  command,  which  compelled  her  to 
open  without  a  moment's  delay,  the  subject  of 
the  piano  lessons,  and  though  she  had  obeyed 
the  command,  perhaps  for  that  very  reason, 
she  resented  it. 

For  nearly  a  month  there  was  no  further 
change  in  the  affairs  of  the  Van  Clyffes.  Catha 
rine  attended  to  her  pupils  and  her  house 
duties,  and  walked  a  little,  and  read  a  little, — 
and  waited.  It  was  her  mother's  desire  that  she 
should  wait  until  some  favorable  opportunity 
enabled  Madame  Van  Clyffe  herself  to  speak  of 
her  daughter's  abilities,  and  of  her  wish  to 
turn  them  into  money.  And  one  morning,  as 
she  was  standing  in  Rhodes  and  McGregor's 
store  at  187  Pearl  Street,  the  opportunity 
94 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

came.  She  was  examining  some  kerseymeres 
and  rose  blankets,  when  a  sweet  voice  at  her 
side  said  : 

"  Good  morning,  Madame  Van  Clyffe.  It  is 
an  age  since  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you." 

Madame  turned  to  the  speaker.  It  was 
Mrs.  White.  She  had  been  intimate  with  her 
in  Philadelphia,  when  the  seat  of  government 
was  in  that  city,  but  they  had  drifted  apart 
afterwards.  However,  Mrs.  White  and  her 
handsome  daughters  were  now  residing  in  their 
house  on  Broadway ;  and  after  the  shopping 
was  finished,  they  walked  towards  their  homes 
together.  The  next  day  Mrs.  White  called  on 
her  old  friend,  and  Catharine  was  introduced  to 
her.  Then  the  subject  of  her  education  com 
ing  naturally  to  discussion,  all  the  rest  fol 
lowed.  Her  work  was  examined  and  highly 
praised,  and  within  a  few  days  Catharine  was 
busily  and  happily  employed.  And  no  further 
advertisement  of  her  skill  and  intentions  was 
ever  necessary.  Her  hands  were  constantly  full 

95 


Trinity  Bells 

of  beautiful  work,  and  her  heart  was  as  happy 
as  it  could  be. 

So,  little  by  little,  the  home  horizon  bright 
ened.  They  made  enough  to  live  on,  and 
though  the  future  held  no  wealthy  prospects,  it 
had  at  least  a  promise  of  economical  sufficiency. 
And  there  are  few  lives  without  that  delightful 
element  of  "possibility  "  which  makes  sameness 
not  only  endurable,  but  hopeful.  Certainly 
Catharine  held  it  with  cheerful  persistence. 
What  a  day  would  bring  forth  she  could  not 
tell,  and  for  that  very  reason  she  expected 
nothing  but  what  was  good.  And  as  Expecta 
tion  and  Desire  open  the  door  for  good  for 
tune,  she  was  not  very  much  astonished  when 
a  piece  of  good  fortune  came  to  them.  It  came 
unexpectedly,  without  any  intimation,  which 
was  natural,  for  Destiny  loves  surprises,  and 
though  no  one  had  any  idea  they  were  open 
ing  the  door  to  Destiny,  such  was  really  the 
case. 

It  was  on  a  snowy  day  in  November —  one 
96 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

of  those  snowy  days  which  are  full  of  good 
temper,  the  air  not  unpleasantly  cold,  the 
snowflakes  dry  and  exhilarating.  Men  passed 
each  other  with  a  joke  or  an  anticipation  ;  boys 
went  whistling  through  the  streets  with  delight, 
thinking  of  the  Powder  Hill,  and  the  fine 
coasting  the  snow  would  give  them.  Catharine 
sat  close  to  the  window,  partly  to  get  the  best 
possible  light,  and  partly  to  hear  clearly  the 
happy  chiming  of  Trinity  Bells,  by  which  she 
was  timing  her  work  —  so  many  leaves  in  so 
many  minutes  —  and  any  girl  knows  how 
pleasant  such  a  race  with  time  can  make 
itself,  and  how  inspiring  the  musical  warning 
of  15 — 30  —  45  —  60  minutes  can  become. 

In  a  peculiarly  clear  and  joyous  tone  the 
Bells  had  just  rung  eleven  when  some  one 
knocked  at  the  door.  It  was  not  a  common, 
indifferent  knock,  it  was  an  imperative,  impa 
tient  summons,  like  the  knock  of  one  who 
brings  good  tidings  and  is  not  afraid  to  hurry 
and  to  command  attention.  Catharine  dropped 
7  97 


Trinity  Bells 

her  needle  to  listen.  She  distinguished  clearly 
the  voice  of  the  eldest  Bank  clerk  who  lodged 
with  them,  but  there  was  also  another  voice, 
low,  but  penetrating,  and  of  singular  authority. 
In  a  few  moments  her  mother  joined  the  two 
men  and  she  heard  them  go  upstairs  together. 

"  It  is  a  new  lodger,"  she  decided,  "  and 
mother  will  tell  me  all  about  it ; "  and  with 
this  thought  she  bent  her  eyes  upon  her  needle. 
But  she  could  not  work;  she  felt  that  "some 
thing  had  happened"  and  she  watched  im 
patiently  for  the  news.  In  about  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  the  visitors  went  away,  and  Madame 
Van  Clyffe  came  to  Catharine  with  a  face  full 
of  pleasure,  and  yet  with  a  manner  hurried 
and  anxious. 

"  Katryntje!  "  she  exclaimed,  "  such  a  fortu 
nate  thing  has  happened  to  us  !  Mr.  Billings 
brought  here  an  English  gentleman,  who  has 
taken  the  two  large  front  rooms  on  the  floor 
above,  and  also  the  small  room  at  the  back  of 
the  house.  And  they  are  to  stay  all  the  winter ! 
98 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

And,  besides  this,  what  think  you  ?  He  will 
pay  me  three  guineas  every  week ! " 

"  Mother !  mother,  how  glad  I  am  !  But 
then,  what  can  a  man  want  with  two  large 

o 

rooms  and  one  small  one?  That  is  very 
singular." 

"  Not  so.  One  of  the  large  front  rooms  is 
to  be  made  into  a  parlor,  and  the  small  room 
is  for  the  gentleman's  servant." 

"  Then  he  is  a  very  fine  gentleman,  I 
suppose  ? " 

"  Mr.  Billings  could  tell  me  very  little  about 
him.  He  only  knew  that  his  name  was 
Errington,  that  he  is  an  Englishman,  that  his 
remittances  come  to  the  Bank  of  New  York, 
and  that  he  has  just  arrived  from  Mount 
Vernon,  where  he  has  been  spending  a  week 
with  General  Washington.  I  should  think,  for 
reference,  that  one  thing  would  be  sufficient. 
A  very  fine  gentleman  I  thought  him,  not  at 
all  proud,  and  quite  pleased  with  the  rooms. 
Would  you  believe  it,  Tryntje,  he  spoke  of 
99 


Trinity  Bells 


their  f  sweet  cleanliness '  and  said  c  it  was 
delightful.' " 

"  Very  good  is  all  this,  mother,  but  what 
think  you  of  the  servant  ?  Will  not  a  white 
servant  make  trouble  among  our  slaves  ?  If 
he  should  be  rude  or  cross  to  them,  what  would 
happen?  They  have  not  been  used  to  any 
thing  but  kindness  and  civility.  I  wish,  indeed, 
the  English  gentleman  had  come  without  a 
servant." 

"He  seemed  to  be  an  extremely  inoffensive 
creature.  He  never  spoke  unless  Mr.  Erring- 
ton  asked  him  a  question ;  and  then  he  only 
said  '  Yes,  sir,'  or  c  No,  sir.'  I  must  now  go 
quickly  to  work.  There  is  a  bed  to  be  taken 
away  and  some  chairs  and  parlor  furniture 
carried  upstairs.  And  the  fires  must  be  lighted 
at  once,  for  the  rooms  are  very,  very  cold.  In 
three  hours  they  are  to  be  ready.  I  want  all 
the  help  I  can  get." 

"  In  two  minutes,  mother,  my  work  will  be 
folded  away,  and  I  shall  be  ready  to  help  you." 

TOO 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

"  Well,  then,  I  shall  be  glad.  Not  every 
day  comes  such  good  fortune,  and  we  must 
receive  it  with  willing  hands  and  happy  hearts." 

Then  what  a  pleasant  little  tumult  ran 
through  the  house  !  Fires  were  soon  burning 
brightly  in  all  three  rooms,  and  the  largest  of 
the  three  was  quickly  transformed  into  a  hand 
some  parlor.  But,  after  all,  the  best  furniture 
was  the  big  blazing  fire  of  oak  logs  burning  on 
their  bright  brass  irons  and  throwing  ruddy 
splendors  on  the  snow-white  hearth  and  the 
papered  walls  and  the  grey  moreen  curtains. 

Imagine  now  what  a  vivid  interest  had  sud 
denly  come  into  the  Van  Clyffe  household. 
It  was  not  diminished  by  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Errington  that  very  night  went  out  to  dine 
with  Governor  Jay,  nor  by  the  report  of  Jane  — 
who  had  held  the  candle  which  lighted  him  into 
his  chair  —  that  he  was  dressed  in  white  satin 
breeches  and  a  dark  blue  velvet  coat  lined 
with  white  satin,  and  trimmed  with  silver  lace. 
"He  had  diamond  buckles  in  his  shoes,"  she 
101 


Trinity  Bells 


added,  in  a  voice  full  of  admiration,  "  and  there 
was  lace  at  his  wrists  and  lace  at  his  throat  and 
shining  rings  on  his  white  hands."  And  at 
every  fresh  description  Jane's  adjectives  grew 
more  and  more  resplendent  and  superlative. 

Then  the  whole  affair  was  to  talk  over  with 
Paul.  Paul  had  come  home  that  night  full  of 
exciting  political  news,  but  he  could  not  arouse 
any  interest  in  his  tidings.  Just  at  present  the 
affairs  of  the  nation  were  not  interesting  to 
Madame  and  Catharine.  War  and  rumors 
of  war,  and  Napoleon's  wonderful  victories  in 
Italy,  though  they  set  the  hearts  of  young  and 
old  America  on  fire  and  filled  whole  columns 
in  that  day's  New  Tork  Journal  and  Patriotic 
Register,  did  not  raise  any  emotion  in  Catha 
rine's  mind  nor  elicit  from  Madame  one  ques 
tion  about  them. 

Paul  was  disappointed,  and  had  a  little  feel 
ing  of  pique  at  this  stranger  who  had  come 
into  their  house  and  their  lives.  He  thought 
to  himself:  "  Such  a  lodger  will  give  no  end  of 

IO2 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

trouble  ;  and  my  mother  and  sister  will  be  com 
plaining  of  him  before  one  week  is  over.  It 
will  be  so,  I  have  no  doubt." 

But  it  was  not  so.  In  a  day  or  two  the 
house  had  settled  comfortably  to  its  new 
conditions.  Mr.  Errington  was  very  little 
trouble.  His  servant  prepared  his  breakfast; 
and  he  either  dined  at  the  City  Hotel  or  went 
out  magnificently  attired  to  some  dinner  or 
entertainment,  many  of  which  were  given 
specially  in  his  honor.  As  for  the  servant,  he 
managed  to  almost  efface  himself.  When  he 
entered  the  kitchen  he  bowed  politely  to  the 
negroes,  who  were  much  affected  by  this 
attention,  and  then  went  about  his  simple 
culinary  duties  without  a  word.  So  day  after 
day  went  calmly  on  until  it  was  Christmas. 
That  is  the  way  in  life.  Events  take  time  to 
mature,  they  do  not  tread  one  upon  the  heels 
of  the  other.  But  there  was  plenty  of  interest 
in  Mr.  Errington  and  his  doings  to  flavor  the 
dull  winter  days.  Even  Gertrude  and  Alida 
103 


Trinity  Bells 

caught  its  spirit,  and  the  music  lessons  were 
spiced  with  bits  of  conversation  relating  to 
his  friends  and  his  appearances. 

"He  actually  paints  pictures,"  said  Catharine 
one  day  to  her  cousins.  "Jane  says  she  has 
seen  him  painting.  And  every  English  packet 
brings  him  new  books,  and  sometimes  new 
clothing.  Yesterday  he  went  sleigh-riding 
with  Mr.  Burr  and  his  pretty  daughter.  Do 
you  know  that  she  is  only  my  age,  and  that 
she  keeps  house  for  her  father  ?  " 

"  But,"  said  Alida,  "  it  is  always  Jane,  and 
Jane.  Have  you  not,  yourself,  seen  this  Mr. 
Errington  ? " 

"  I  have  seen  him  twice  as  he  passed  the 
window,"  answered  Catharine.  "  But  it  was 
very  cold  on  both  days,  and  he  was  walking 
quickly,  and,  also,  he  had  the  fur  collar  of  his 
cloak  turned  up  high ;  he  passed  like  a  man  in 
a  dream  —  so  quick  —  so  indistinct." 

"  I  should  peep  at  him  going  out  in  his  fine 
evening  dress,"  said  Gertrude. 
104 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

"  I  am  sure,  Gertrude,"  answered  Catharine, 
"if  you  were  tempted  to  open  the  door  one 
half-inch,  that  you  would  never  forgive  your 
self." 

"You  are  exactly  right,  Catharine.  I  am 
glad  you  think  so  properly  of  me.  For  in 
deed  I  am  known  among  all  our  friends  for 
my  correct  behavior.  To  be  sure,  it  is  tan 
talizing  to  have  a  person  in  your  house  living 
their  own  life,  quite  different  from  your  life, 
and  never  thinking  it  might  be  pleasant  for 
you  to  know  a  little  of  what  was  going  on. 
Does  Paul  see  the  gentleman  often  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  think  Mr.  Errington  knows  of 
Paul's  existence.  Paul  pays  no  attention  to 
him,  I  am  sure.  Paul  is,  as  you  know,  rather 
proud." 

"  Well,"  said  Gertrude,  "  I  should  not  like 
to  have  people  in  my  house,  with  whom  I  had 
no  more  in  common  than  with  the  pavements 
on  the  street.  That  is  not  the  Dutch  nature." 

"We  do  not  mind  it,"  said  Catharine,  a 
105 


Trinity  Bells 


little  wearily.  She  had  so  often  discussed  this 
phase  of  the  relation  that  its  interest  was  ex 
hausted.  "  But,"  she  added,  with  that  half- 
unconscious  utterance  which  is  often  a  prophecy, 
"  perhaps,  we  may  know  more,  some  time." 

The  "  some  time  "  came  sooner  than  could 
have  been  expected  from  previous  events.  It 
happened  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  December, 
the  day  after  Christmas.  Catharine  was  com 
ing  downstairs  just  at  daylight.  She  had  in 
her  hands  a  number  of  skeins  of  colored  silks, 
and  she  was  examining  them,  and  counting 
them,  as  she  walked  slowly  from  step  to  step. 
She  was  half-way  down  the  long  flight,  when 
the  front  door  opened,  and  Mr.  Errington  got 
out  of  a  chair,  and  walked  hastily  towards  the 
stairs.  Catharine  trembled  and  hesitated  ;  and 
knew  not  for  a  moment  what  to  do.  But  her 
natural  self-respect  instantly  forbade  any  running 
backward ;  and  the  next  moment  she  had  re 
flected  that  she  was  about  her  duty,  and  in 
her  own  home ;  so  she  calmly  continued  her 
106 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

descent.  Mr.  Errington  waited  with  his  hat 
in  his  hand,  until  she  had  passed  him.  He 
looked  curiously  at  her,  and  bowed  slightly, 
but  Catharine  did  not  remember,  whether  she 
had  recognized  the  courtesy  or  not.  She  was 
flushed  and  trembling  with  the  ordeal  when  she 
reached  her  mother's  room,  and  lifted  her  work. 

"Who  could  have  imagined  Mr.  Errington 
being  in  anybody's  way  before  eight  o'clock 
in  the  morning  ?  "  she  asked,  with  a  little  shrug 
of  her  shoulders,  and  a  voice  plainly  indicating 
the  annoyance  she  felt.  "  And  this  dress,  too ! " 
she  added,  in  a  tone  of  painful  chagrin.  "Oh, 
dear  me !  How  provoking  ! " 

"  You  need  not  give  it  a  second  thought, 
Catharine,"  said  her  mother.  "  He  would  not 
notice  a  child  like  you.  He  was  at  a  Christ 
mas  dance  last  night  at  Mr.  Hamilton's,  and 
probably  took  coffee  there  when  it  broke  up. 
Never  mind,  Tryntje,  my  child  !  He  has  for 
gotten  all  about  it." 

Perhaps  not.  For  that  afternoon,  as  he  was 
107 


Trinity  Bells 


at  work  on  a  landscape  which  he  was  painting, 
he  called  his  servant : 

"  McVickars ! " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"Is  there  a  little  girl  in  this  house  —  a  little 
girl  about  twelve  years  old  ?  " 

"  Yes,   sir ;    about   fourteen    years   old,    I 
should  say,  sir." 

"  Does  she  wear  a  singular  dress  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.     A  Dutch  dress." 

"  With  a  queer  little  cap  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  Who  is  she  ?  " 

"  Madame  Van  Clyffe's  daughter,  sir." 

"  Are  there  any  other  little  girls  ?  " 

"  No,  sir." 

"  Any  boys  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.     There  is  a  young  man  about 
eighteen  years  old." 

"  A  pleasant  youth  ?  " 

"  I  should  say,  a  very  pleasant  youth,  sir." 

"  Have  I  ever  seen  him  ?  " 
108 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 
«  No,  sir." 

"  McVickars,  look  at  this  picture.      Notice 
that  field  of  blowing  wheat.     What  would  you 
think  of  the  little  Dutch  girl  standing  in  it  ?  " 
"  I  don't  think  it  would  do,  sir." 
"  Why  not  ? " 

"  Her  hair  is  the  colour  of  the  wheat,  sir." 
"  She  might  wear  that  little  cap." 
"  White  is  n't  much  of  a  difference,  sir." 
"You  are  right,  as  usual,  McVickars." 
No  more  was  said  at  that  time,  but  the  fol 
lowing  Sunday  evening,  Mr.  Errington,  being 
alone  in  his  rooms,  sent  a  polite  request  to  Mr. 
Paul  Van  Clyffe — "Would  he  kindly  give  him 
his  society  for  an  hour  ? "     Paul  was  exceed 
ingly    pleased,    and    Madame   and    Catharine 
equally  so.     They  sat  together  by  the  bright 
fire  speculating  on  the  invitation,  and  wonder 
ing  what  it  might  mean. 

The  first   hour  was   not   long,   but   it  was 
nearly  the  end  of  the  second  hour  when  Paul 
returned  to  them.    And  by  that  time  Catharine 
109 


Trinity  Bells 


was  tired  and  sleepy,  and  perhaps  a  little  cross, 
for  nothing  makes  people  so  fretful  and  cynical 
as  expectation  long  drawn  out.  Catharine  had 
begun  to  feel  that  Mr.  Errington  was  no 
longer  interesting,  that  she  cared  nothing 
about  Paul's  visit  to  him,  and  that  the  whole 
circumstance  was  a  disappointment.  She  had 
just  said  :  "  I  am  going  to  bed,  mother,  for  I  am 
tired  of  waiting  for  Paul,  "  when  the  loiterer 
entered  the  room. 

His  face  was  in  a  glow  of  pleasure ;  his  whole 
manner  radiated  a  fervent  admiration.  He  had 
no  words  to  express  the  satisfaction  he  felt  in 
his  visit.  For  Errington,  led  by  that  courtesy 
which  springs  from  a  noble  heart,  had  met 
Paul  on  a  plane  of  equality  in  every  respect ; 
even  as  regarded  age.  He  had  talked  to  him, 
as  men  talk  to  men  —  of  sports,  of  politics,  and 
of  that  marvellous  campaign  of  Napoleon  in 
Italy,  the  very  bulletins  of  which  bristled  with 
bayonets. 

"  His  pen  is  as  great  as  his  sword,"  said 
no 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

Errington,  "those  bulletins  and  proclama 
tions  have  the  clang  of  the  old-world  battle 
fields  ;  the  shining  of  swords,  and  the  clash  of 
steel  upon  steel  is  in  them." 

And  Paul  had  absorbed  such  conversation 
as  the  thirsty  drink  water.  But  Catharine  and 
her  mother  were  disappointed.  They  wanted 
to  hear  some  personal  story,  something  about 
Mr.  Errington's  looks  and  ways  and  dress  and 
manners,  and  Paul  had  evidently  noticed  none 
of  these  things. 

"  At  least,"  said  Catharine,  "  you  might 
remember  what  he  had  on." 

"  I  think,  then,  that  he  was  dressed  in  black, 
except  only  his  waistcoat,  which  was  of  some 
lighter  color,  and  his  hair  was  turned  backward 
from  his  forehead,  and  tied  behind  with  a  black 
ribbon.  However,  such  things  I  did  not 
notice  particularly ;  there  were  others  more 
interesting." 

"  So  ?  "  said  Catharine.  "  Indeed,  what 
were  they  ? " 

in 


Trinity  Bells 


<e  His  eyes,  for  instance,  which  are  large  and 
dark,  and  which  flash  into  you,  in  an  almost 
inconvenient  way,  his  commanding  figure,  his 
low,  even  voice  —  " 

At  these  words,  Catharine  rose  in  a  little 
temper.  "  Brother  Paul,"  she  said,  "  I  do  not 
think  much  of  men  with  low,  even  voices.  I 
wish  to  remind  you  of  that  time  when  we 
sailed  to  Boston  with  our  dear  father,  and  there 
was,  as  perhaps  you  remember,  a  storm,  and  he 
stood  at  the  mainmast  shouting  out  orders 
that  the  winds  and  waves  could  not  drown. 
And  though  The  Golden  Victory  was  running 
away  like  a  ship  out  of  her  senses,  he  got, 
as  he  said,  a  bridle  in  her  mouth,  and  made 
her  fly  before  the  wind  as  was  best  for  her  and 
for  us.  It  was  not  a  low,  even  voice  >  that 
would  have  made  the  ship  mind,  that  day. 
No,  indeed !  I  am  not  interested  in  Mr.  Er- 
rington  at  all.  I  even  think  he  must  be  very 
conceited  and  disagreeable."  She  was  lighting 
her  candle  as  she  said  these  words,  and  she 

1X2 


The  Stranger  in  the  House 

continued  :  "  I  am  now  going  to  bed.  Good 
night,  dear  mother;  and,  Paul,  after  such  a  fine 
visit,  I  hope  you  may  sleep  well.  I  am  much 
disappointed." 

That  was  the  truth.  She  was  very  much 
disappointed.  She  had  thought  of  all  kinds  of 
romantic  things,  in  connection  with  this  un 
known  dweller  in  their  house,  and  it  seemed 
that,  after  all,  he  was  only  an  ordinary  gentle 
man,  talking  of  that  tiresome  Bonaparte,  and  the 
French  war,  and  the  Federalists,  and  Anti-Fed 
eralists.  He  had  told  Paul  nothing  wonderful ; 
he  had  shown  Paul  nothing  wonderful ;  he  had 
given  him  no  fresh  hope;  he  had  made  him  no 
pleasant  promise. 

"  It  is  altogether  a  disappointment,"  she 
said  to  herself,  as  she  stood  loosening  her  hair, 
and  shivering  before  her  mirror.  "  There  are 
the  Bells  !  It  must  be  ten  o'clock."  She  lis 
tened  till  the  last  stroke  was  over,  and  then 
added:  "  Even  the  Bells  are  disappointing  to 
night.  They  might  have  said,  £  Good  night, 
8  113 


Trinity  Bells 

Katryntje !  '  or  '  Sleep  well,  Katryntje !  '  but 
there  was  not  a  word  in  them.  Altogether  a 
disappointing  night,  and  it  is  bitterly  cold ;  my 
drinking  water  is  frozen,  my  fire  is  out,  I  am 
shivering  and  sleepy,  and  so  disappointed." 

Foolish  little  Catharine !  She  had  no  reason 
to  be  disappointed.  But  then  she  could  not 
foresee  the  future.  How  was  she  to  know  that 
this  low,  even  voice,  was  the  voice  of  Fate,  and 
that,  of  all  the  human  voices  in  the  world,  it 
was  the  only  one  able  to  speak  to  the  Van 
Clyffes  the  "Open  sesame!"  which  could 
reveal  to  them  the  secret  of  the  sea. 


1x4 


IV 

Paul  has  Hopes 


CHAPTER  IV 

PAUL    HAS    HOPES 

DURING  this  interval  Catharine  had  seen 
very  little  of  her  grandmother.  The 
old  lady  had  made  her  clearly  understand  that 
she  was  not  to  be  visited  in  her  home  on 
William  Street ;  at  least,  Catharine  considered 
her  injunction  "  not  to  tell  Gertrude  and  Alida 
she  had  called  there,  lest  they  should  follow 
her  example,"  as  equivalent  to  a  very  decided 
request  not  to  repeat  her  own  visit.  And  her 
Uncle  Jacob's  house  was  too  far  away  to  admit 
of  an  ordinary  call  in  the  short,  cold  winter 
days.  Sometimes  after  the  music  lesson  was 
over  —  if  there  was  good  sleighing  —  Catharine 
went  home  with  her  cousin,  but  in  such  case 
it  was  necessary  for  her  to  remain  all  night, 
and  return  in  her  uncle's  sleigh  in  the  morn- 
117 


Trinity  Bells 

ing.  A  visit  of  this  kind  entailed  nearly  the 
loss  of  a  day,  and  when  she  had  much  work, 
or  work  that  required  to  be  done  in  a  hurry, 
she  could  not  spare  the  time. 

Yet  it  was  only  at  Uncle  Jacob's,  grand 
mother  was  to  be  seen,  and  as  her  visits  there 
were  irregular  and  unannounced,  Catharine 
could  not  arrange  her  own  visits  to  accommo 
date  them.  She  also  felt  some  delicacy  in 
showing  a  disposition  to  do  this,  for  "  grand 
mother's  money "  was  the  frequent  topic  of 
Gertrude's  and  Alida's  conversation,  and  Cath 
arine  had  no  desire  to  appear  as  a  claimant  for 
any  share  of  it.  Gertrude  had  spoken  openly 
to  her  of  the  control  she  put  upon  herself  with 
reference  to  these  expectations,  and  Alida  had 
confidentially  imparted  the  information  that 
"  she  was  her  grandmother's  favorite "  and 
that  she  intended  to  buy  herself  a  pearl  neck 
lace  as  soon  as  she  received  her  share  of 
grandmother's  money. 

Catharine  listened  to  such  conversations 
118 


Paul  has  Hopes 


without  interfering  in  them.  She  never  put 
forward  Paul's  or  her  own  claim ;  she  felt, 
indeed,  a  sense  of  shame  and  cruel  unkindness 
in  even  listening  to  such  selfish  appropriation 
of  what  could  only  be  enjoyed  by  the  death  of 
a  woman  so  near  to  them  by  the  tie  of  kindred, 
and  who  had  also  been  —  as  far  as  she  was 
able  —  a  mother  to  their  motherless  childhood 
and  youth.  Certainly,  for  herself,  Catharine  — 
who  had  a  loyal  and  tender  heart  —  would 
gladly  have  chosen  grandmother's  love  in 
place  of  all  her  money. 

One  day,  after  a  long  music  lesson,  Gertrude 
begged  Catharine  to  return  home  with  her, 
"  My  father  likes  you,  Tryntje,"  she  said ; 
"  and  I  wish  that  you  would  bring  some  of 
your  music  and  play  it  for  him.  In  the  morn 
ing  you  can  return  to  the  city  with  father ;  his 
sleigh  will  bring  you  to  this  very  door.  The 
river  is  now  well  frozen,  there  is  skating  at  the 
bottom  of  the  garden,  and  yesterday  we  made 
the  doughnuts  and  also  the  rollichies,  and,  I 
119 


Trinity  Bells 

can  tell  you,  the  apple  butter  is  delicious. 
Come,  then,  we  can  skate  for  an  hour,  and  in 
the  evening  have  the  music  and  singing.  That 
will  be  to  my  father  a  pleasant  surprise.  What 
say  you  ? " 

Madame  Van  Clyffe  thought  the  proposal 
a  kind  and  pleasant  one,  and  Catharine  was 
glad  to  be  urged  to  leave  her  needle,  and  have 
a  sleigh  ride  and  some  skating  and  fresh  com 
pany.  So  in  twenty  minutes  the  two  girls 
were  driving  merrily  towards  the  East  River. 
For  reasons  quite  natural,  they  took  their  way 
down  Wall  Street,  and  William  Street,  and  by 
Hanover  Square.  They  were  in  no  special 
hurry,  and  they  wanted  to  see  the  stores,  and 
meet  the  beaux  and  belles  in  the  shopping 
quarter.  On  their  way  down  Wall  Street  they 
passed  the  fine  house  of  General  Heywood, 
and  Catharine  pointed  it  out  to  her  cousin. 

"  I  have  been  working  the  Heywood  crest 
upon  some  damask  table-cloths, "  she  said, 
"  and  I  will  tell  you  what  I  have  heard  ;  it  is 
120 


Paul  has  Hopes 

this  —  the  General  makes  welcome  to  his  home 
and  table  every  man  that  fought  in  the  Revo 
lution,  rich  and  poor ;  also  that  he  has  sworn 
never  to  forgive  a  Tory." 

"  Indeed,  I  think,  as  my  father  says,  such 
men  stand  too  stiff  in  their  opinions,"  answered 
Gertrude.  "  I  suppose  that  he  has  a  wife ; 
and  how  does  she  like  Tom,  Dick,  and  Harry, 
just  because  they  fought  for  their  own  political 
ideas,  coming  to  dinner  and  lodging  with 
her  ?  /  should  not  permit  such  a  thing.  And 
if  the  man  is  a  Christian,  he  ought  to  forgive 
his  enemies,  even  if  they  are  Tories.  For  my 
part,  I  think  there  are  some  very  nice  Tories 
—  the  De  Lanceys  for  instance  —  Oh,  what 
lovely  ribbons  !  " 

The  cry  was  exceedingly  natural,  for  they 
were  just  crossing  William,  by  Wall  Street,  and 
the  vicinity  was  full  of  dry  goods  stores.  So 
they  drove  more  slowly  and  looked  with  specu 
lating  interest  on  the  treasures  displayed  in  the 
windows  *—  shimmering  widths  of  florentines, 

121 


Trinity  Bells 

lutestrings,  shalloons,  velverets  and  taffetas  in 
the  fashionable  shades  of  bat's-wing,  and 
drake's-head,  satin  hats,  paste  buckles,  artifi 
cial  roses,  and  lengths  of  gorgeously  shaded 
ribbons. 

"  I  wish  that  I  had  a  great  deal  of  money  of 
my  own !  "  said  Gertrude  with  a  sigh.  "  Grand 
mother  never  thinks  a  girl  ought  to  have  such 
pretty  things;  and  my  father — " 
"  He  is  so  good  to  you,  Gertrude." 
"  To  be  sure,  also,  that  is  the  right  way  with 
fathers.  And  it  is  true  that  my  father  often 
says  c  No '  when  he  is  ready  to  say  '  Yes.'  His 
mouth  is  worse  than  his  mind.  But  three 
Sundays  ago,  Domine  de  Rhonde  said  in  the 
pulpit  that  'God  required  from  us  good  words 
as  well  as  good  works.'  And  I  nudged  father, 

—  for  I,  being  the  eldest,  always  sit  next  to  him 

—  and  I  am  sure  that  he  understood.     He  has 
said  more  kind  words  to  us  ever  since." 

"  It  is  so  disagreeable  to  have  to  say  unkind 
words." 


Paul  has  Hopes 

"  Indeed,  I  think  not ;  I  like  to  say  them 
when  I  feel  them.  To  Alida  this  is  possible ; 
but  to  grandmother  it  is  not  possible.  Once 
I  said  to  her :  '  I  think  you  are  both  cross  and 
ill-natured,  grandmother  ; '  and  she  boxed  my 
ears,  and  then  told  my  father.  So  I  had  bread 
and  water  for  three  days  ;  and  then  I  had  also 
to  unsay  my  words  and  make  a  great  humilia 
tion.  Then  I  made  up  my  mind  to  be  ex 
tremely  civil  to  grandmother,  and  in  about  a 
month  she  gave  me  the  gold  brooch  I  am  now 
wearing.  That  was  because  I  had  seen  my 
fault  and  conquered  it,"  and  Gertrude  laughed 
a  little,  and  then  whipped  the  horses  into  a 
gallop. 

They  were  by  this  time  at  Chatham  Row, 
with  the  fields  of  the  common  on  their  left  — 
fields  now  white  with  snow,  and  therefore 
showing  all  the  more  plainly,  the  jail  and  the 
calaboose.  The  latter  building  the  girls  looked 
askance  at,  and  Gertrude  said,  in  quite  a  differ 
ent  voice  from  her  usual  assertive  tone : 
123 


Trinity  Bells 


"  What  do  you  think,  Catharine  !  Jacob 
Kors  sent  three  of  his  slaves  yesterday  to  the 
calaboose  to  be  whipped  by  the  officer.  He 
had  to  pay  three  shillings  ;  and  my  father  said 
if  they  had  charged  him  three  pounds  it  was 
too  little.  Father  thinks  a  man  ought  not 
to  own  slaves  who  cannot  himself  control 
them." 

"  Well,  then,  Mr.  Greenwood  sent  his  white 
servant  a  week  ago  to  receive  thirty  lashes.  Is 
not  that  a  dreadful  thing  ?  I  have  heard  my 
friend,  Lucia  Delmaine  talk  about  slavery  ;  and 
I  say  this,  Gertrude,  of  all  conditions  it  is  the 
saddest.  To  be  sure  we  have  slaves,  but  they 
feel  not  the  bond  with  us.  My  mother  is  so 
just  and  kind  to  them." 

"  Father  is  also  kind  —  more  kind  than 
they  deserve,  I  think.  Look  at  the  Collect, 
it  is  full  of  skaters.  My  grandmother  has 
often  told  us  how  her  friend  Mr.  Halleck 
saved  the  Duke  of  Clarence  from  being 
drowned  there." 

124 


Paul  has  Hopes 

"  And  pray  what  was  the  Duke  of  Clarence 
doing  in  New  York  ?  " 

"  He  was  visiting  Admiral  Digby,  who  lived 
in  Hanover  Square.  He  was  only  a  midship 
man  then.  See,  it  is  going  to  snow,  we  must 
make  more  haste,  Tryntje." 

Then  the  sleigh  went  flying  up  the  Bowery 
Lane,  until  it  reached  a  point  a  little  below 
the  present  Canal  Street.  Here  Gertrude 
made  a  sudden  turn  eastward,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  they  were  at  the  Van  Clyffe  home 
stead.  This  day  the  grandmother  was  pres 
ent.  She  had  come  to  superintend  the  making 
of  the  rollichies,  and  had  found  them  boiled 
and  pressed,  and  a  dish  cut  into  dice  and 
trimmed  with  parsley  ready  for  the  tea-table. 
This  forestalling  of  events  had  displeased  her, 
and  she  was  not  in  a  very  good  temper.  Never 
before  had  the  girls  ventured  on  such  an  act 
of  self-dependence.  In  the  grandmother's 
mind  it  indicated  something  like  domestic 
rebellion  and  chaos. 

125 


Trinity  Bells 

"What  must  be  the  end  of  all  these  changes, 
I  know  not ! "  she  said  sternly  to  Gertrude. 
"  First,  it  is  the  pianoforte.  Then,  the  rol- 
lichies  are  made  two  days  before  the  proper 
time.  I  am  not  satisfied  with  such  ways.  You 
sing  songs  !  you  drive  yourself  to  the  city  ! 
you  take  music  lessons  !  The  Goverts,  who 
are  richer  than  your  father,  and  great  lovers 
of  morality  and  respectability,  do  none  of  these 
things." 

"  I  thought  you  would  be  pleased,  grand 
mother,  that  I  could,  by  my  own  self,  make 
something  for  the  table." 

"You  will  do  things  by  yourself!  You, 
who  are  not  yet  seventeen  years  old !  I  fear 
that  you  have  spoiled  the  good  meat,  fat  and 
lean ;  and  that  the  dice  arc  not  large  enough. 
I  am  always  exact  about  the  dice.  And  I  feel 
sure  they  are  not  seasoned  properly,  nor  pressed 
as  long  as  they  ought  to  be.  If  you  will  do 
things  by  yourself,  do  not  be  a  bungler."  Then 
she  turned  to  Catharine.  "  I  am  pleased  to 
126 


Paul  has  Hopes 

see  you,  child,"  she  continued.  "  I  hear  that 
you  have  been  doing  great  things  with  your 
needle.  That  is  right  —  a  needle  is  not  much 
of  a  tool,  but  every  one  must  row  with  the 
oars  they  have." 

"  You  have  heard,  then,  grandmother,  that 
at  present  we  arc  poor ;  and  I  have  need  to 
work." 

"  Poor  !  That  is  nothing  ;  after  ebb  comes 
flood."  Then  she  turned  away,  and  affected 
a  sudden  interest  in  the  gossip  of  the  neigh 
borhood  ;  listening,  however,  with  scornful 
indifference  to  Gertrude's  tale  of  the  punish 
ment  of  the  Kors  slaves. 

"  Who  told  you  this  story  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  It  was  Femmetia  Govert.  I  met  her  as 
I  was  going  to  Tryntje's." 

"  The  clashing  jade  !  "  answered  the  old 
lady.  "  But  what  could  Jacob  Kors  expect  ? " 
she  asked  indignantly.  "  He  bought  these 
slaves  off  a  ship.  They  are  pagans.  They 
could  not  care  about  God  and  His  command- 
127 


Trinity  Bells 

ments.  If  people  will  have  their  work  done 
by  those  who  cannot  say  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
then  they  must  have  trouble.  When  I  was 
young  the  Bastians  had  pagan  slaves,  and  they 
failed  in  business,  and  had  to  go  to  prison  for 
their  debts.  In  my  house,  I  always  had  Chris 
tian  service.  It  is  a  principle  of  mine." 

Then,  as  the  quick  falling  snow  prevented 
any  skating,  Catharine  sat  down  by  her  grand 
mother's  side  and  endeavored  to  make  the 
conversation  turn  upon  her  father  and  his  long 
absence. 

"  Your  father  has  been  quite  as  long  away 
before,"  she  answered  shortly. 

"  But  always  before  he  wrote  to  us.  We 
have  had  no  word  of  any  kind  for  nearly  one 
year." 

"  What  is  it  you  expect  from  a  man  in  the 
middle  of  the  ocean  ?  " 

"  But  sometimes,  grandmother,  he  is  on 
the  land." 

"You  know  not.  Are  there  mail  coaches 
128 


Paul  has  Hopes 

between  New  York  and  China  ?  or  between 
New  York  and  the  Baltic  ?  or  between  New 
York  and  the  moon  ?  " 

"No,  indeed!  We  are  not  thinking  that 
father  should  do  impossibilities.  But  to  be 
so  long  without  sending  us  any  word  is  not 
his  way." 

"  His  way  !  His  way  !  "  she  answered  with 
some  temper.  "  His  way  was  never  easy  to 
understand.  Good  advice,  and  plenty  of  it, 
I  gave  to  him ;  but  your  father  was  like  Pha 
raoh  :  he  hardened  his  heart.  Well,  then, 
trouble  and  sorrow  come  to  those  who  dis 
obey  their  parents.  You  may  read  that  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  I  am  grieved  in  my  heart 
about  your  father ;  but  what  is  it  I  can  do  ? 
Only  God  can  make  the  crooked  straight, 
and  the  wrong  right.  What  are  you 
crying  for?  Tears  are  no  good.  To  hope 
and  to  pray  is  the  only  thing !  Now,  then, 
dry  your  eyes.  You  are  a  sailor's  daughter. 
You  must  have  a  brave  heart" 

9  129 


Trinity  Bells 

"  My  heart  is  brave ;  but  I  love  my  father 
—  I  cannot  tell  you  how  much." 

"  I  hear  that  you  are  helping  your  mother 
to  make  an  honest  living.  I  like  that.  I  have 
not  opposed  the  pianoforte,  because  I  would 
not  be  against  your  making  an  honest  liv 
ing.  Yet  it  was  not  agreeable  to  me  —  far 
from  it." 

Perhaps  this  was  scarcely  a  fair  statement  of 
her  acquiescence  in  the  piano.  It  had  been 
in  the  house  two  days  when  she  was  confronted 
with  it  as  an  established  fact ;  and  she  was 
too  prudent  a  woman  to  attack  what  she  di 
vined  was  invincible.  For  her  son  Jacob  was 
not  an  easy  man  to  oppose  ;  and  he  had  from 
the  first  taken  all  the  responsibility  for  the 
instrument  upon  himself. 

"  I  have  bought  it,"  he  said  simply  to  his 
mother,  "  and  I  wish  that  my  daughters  should 
learn  to  play  on  it.  It  is  a  good  amusement. 
It  keeps  them  happy  in  their  home.  I  am 
satisfied." 

130 


Paul  has  Hopes 

And  Gertrude's  prediction  as  to  her  grand 
mother's  answer  was  exactly  true.  The  old 
lady  shrugged  her  shoulders,  and  said  con 
temptuously,  "  Well,  then,  I  see  that  all  the 
fools  are  not  yet  dead."  But  there  was  no 
active  anger ;  and,  indeed,  on  this  very  night, 
the  final  approval  anticipated  received  ample 
verification.  For  while  the  girls  were  singing, 
as  Jacob  said,  "like  three  little  angels,"  Mat 
thew  Govert,  and  his  sister  Femmetia,  came 
in  to  "  short-evening  "  with  the  Van  ClyfFes. 
And  Miss  Femmetia,  relying  on  her  previous 
knowledge  of  Madame's  opinions,  and  not 
understanding  that  it  is  the  strong  and  wise  — 
not  the  weak  —  who  can  change  their  opin 
ions,  began  to  complain,  in  her  fretful  way,  of 
the  alterations  in  the  good  old  manners  and 
customs  that  were  everywhere  taking  place. 

"  I  see,"  she  said,  "  that  even  your  son  is 
becoming  very  genteel.  His  coachman  has 
now  a  red  waistcoat ;  and  his  daughters  play 
and  sing  the  fashionable  songs  on  the  piano 


Trinity  Bells 

forte,  just  as  the  best  families  do.     Heigho  ! 
I  call  that  jogging  along  indeed!  " 

She  expected  sympathy  from  the  old  lady, 
but  she  was  disappointed ;  for  Madame  an 
swered  with  an  air  of  satisfaction :  "  Well, 
then,  and  why  not  ?  The  red  waistcoat  is  very 
suitable ;  and  as  for  the  fashionable  songs,  they 
are  played  also  on  the  streets ;  and  the  city 
government  would  not  permit  them  to  be 
played  on  the  streets  if  they  were  not  moral 
and  respectable." 

"  I  thought  you  were  opposed  to  changes ; 
and  —  " 

"  That  is  so ;  but  when  the  changes  are  here, 
what  will  you  ?  We  cannot  turn  back  the 
clock  of  Time,  Femmetia.  Well,  then,  it  is 
best  to  put  forward  our  own  clock.  Perhaps 
then  we  make  some  good  come  out  of  the 
changes." 

"  To  be  sure ;  yet  I  never  played  the  piano 
forte,  nor  even  wished  to  play  it ;  and  as  for 
you  —  " 

13* 


Paul  has  Hopes 

"  Oh,  then,  I  could  have  done  such  a  thing  ! 
It  is  not  difficult.  Little  children  of  seven,  of 
six  years  old,  do  it.  Listen  to  my  three  grand 
daughters  !  What  is  it  they  are  singing  ?  and 
a  wonder  —  a  wonder  past  all  wonders  !  —  my 
son  Jacob  and  your  brother  Matthew  are 
singing  also.  I  think,  Femmetia,  it  will  be 
our  turn  next." 

"  And  why  not  ?  For  my  part,  I  can  say 
this  —  I  had  a  voice  that  was  very  musical,  but 
the  fogs  from  the  river  have  been  against  it. 
I  have  colds ;  and  colds  do  not  come  and  go 
for  nothing." 

"  No  indeed !  nor  our  years,  Femmetia. 
Every  year  takes  something  we  do  not  want 
to  lose,  and  leaves  something  we  do  not  want 
to  have." 

"  You  say  what  is  true,  Madame,  but  still, 
the  music  stays  in  the  heart.  If  it  is  an  old 
song  that  in  my  youth  I  knew,  then  my  heart 
sings  it,  whether  my  lips  move  or  not." 

"  It  is  so,"  answered  Madame,  with  a  sigh- 


Trinity  Bells 

"I  myself,  on  Saint  John's  Day  —  June  the 
twenty-fourth  —  can  never  put  Die  Nieuwe 
Haring — 'The  New  Fresh  Herring'  —  out  of 
my  mind ; "  and  in  a  thin,  quavering  voice, 
Madame  began  softly  to  hum : 

'*  Here  comes,  laden  with  gold,  the  boat, 

Bringing  in  the  first  fresh  herring ; 
It  is  a  feast  in  Netherland !     It  is  a  feast  in  Netherland  ! " 

"It  is  also  the  way  with  my  brother  Mat 
thew,"  said  Femmetia.  "Always  on  Saint 
John's  Day  he  says  at  the  breakfast  table: 
c  To-day,  then,  Femmetia,  the  herring  boats  will 
leave  the  Amstel.  Some  may  go  before,  but 
they  will  have  no  luck ;  for  the  herring  likes 
not  to  be  caught  before  Saint  John's  Day.  I 
think  I  can  see  the  little  brown  herring  boats, 
tumbling  about  —  out  to  sea  and  home  again, 
as  great  friends  with  the  sea  as  are  the  sea 
gulls.'" 

"  I  understand,  Femmetia.'  My  father  used 
to  say  that  Amsterdam  was  built  on  herring 


Paul  has  Hopes 

bones ;  and  if  you  write  about  Holland  you 
will  have  to  write  about  the  fishing  nets.  The 
sea  is  to  the  Dutch  like  a  conscience ;  they 
must  prove  themselves,  in  its  sight,  to  be 
honest  and  industrious  —  but  listen  !  that  is 
the  song  that  I  like  best  of  all  songs,  and  Ka- 
tryntje  plays  it  —  she  plays  it  on  my  heart !  I 
go  back  to  the  Zuyder  Zee"  —  and  Madame 
listened  with  a  smile,  while  the  old,  old  air  of 
De  Kabels  Los  rang  through  the  house  with  ex 
traordinary  spirit  and  charmful  melody : 


DE   KABELS   LOS. 


XL   t?  f* 

i 

•    B        r     * 

j—  —  -0        s: 

vT)    4.     f> 

i    » 

B 

•      '        _p 

*                       Lr 

yf      1      Ui^l 

•  •     0 

2          --L 

De 

Ka  •  bels  1 

N.            fi 

DS,      de       zei  - 

len    op,        Dat 

j       f 

P           i 

1  ^r    t» 

«        K 

P  ^ 

J^    *  • 

1  |/|"\  ^     jf   • 

4     S      i 

«       J     *•    K 

\      0     } 

I  v  .  /         2   * 

*               J 

* 

r  •                      V 

3 

gaat 
n 

er      op    een 

-J- 
var  -  en       Al    TI 

'ar-  en  wij      sin  - 

!           P       i 

i/£r4*  r  ^ 

»  ^  fe 

J^—  J  —  J  N- 

—  ^  1  1  r* 

F^>-^=kr- 

*l.     iP- 

•H—  f—  «—  ^~ 

~*  —  j  w— 

-     jeurs  aan  wal,  Ons  hart    lei    in    de      bar  -  en ;        Een 
135 


Trinity  Bells 


4^-R 


Hollandsch  kind,  dat    is     be-kend,  Die  vindt  in  zee    zijn 


el    -     e  -   ment,       Jo   -    ho,          jo  -    ho,          jo  - 


ho,       jo  -  hoi    Die  vindt  in     zee   zijn     el  -  e-ment. 

«'  En  zijn  zoo  geen  banjers  meer 
Als  in  verledcn  dagen, 
Toen  ieder  voor  Jan-Companie 
Ecn  flikker  wij  op  iedre  zee  : 
Zoo  goed  nog  als  de  bcste  mee, 
Jo-ho,  jo-ho, jo-ho,  jo-ho  ! 
Zoo  goed  nog  als  de  beste  mec  !  " 

TRANSLATION.1 

"  Let  go  the  ropes,  unfurl  the  sails, 
And  let  us  be  off  to  sea  ; 
Were  we  even  lords  ashore 
Our  hearts  would  lie  with  thee. 


1  By  Laura  Alexandrine  Smith  in  her  "  Music  of  the  Waters." 
136 


Paul  has  Hopes 

For  a  Hollander  born,  you  all  must  know, 
Finds  in  the  sea  his  element, 
Yo-ho,  yo-ho,  yo-ho,  yo-ho  ! 
Finds  in  the  sea  his  element. 

"  And  if  we  cannot  do  the  mighty  deeds 
They  did  in  the  days  gone  by, 
When  for  honor  of  the  Dutch  Company 
Every  man  in  his  heart  did  try, 
Yet  still  we  sail  on  every  sea 
As  good  as  the  best  of  them, 
Jo-ho,  jo-ho,  jo-ho,  jo-ho  ! 
As  good  as  the  best  of  them  !  " 

To  this  characteristic  song  Jacob's  and 
Matthew's  voices,  strong  and  resonant,  added 
a  delightful  volume  to  the  ringing  notes  of 
the  girls,  and  when  it  ceased,  though  there  was 
a  murmur  of  conversation  round  the  piano, 
Madame  and  Femmetia  were  silent.  For 
anything  present  which  touches  our  hearts 
deeply  is  sure  to  be  full  of  reflected  thoughts 
and  feelings  both  from  the  past  and  the  future. 
And  seen  through  such  thoughts  and  feelings, 
how  sad  are  some  moments,  filled  with  what 


Trinity  Bells 

we  call  pleasure ;  how  much  more  pathetic  the 
songs  and  smiles  that  fill  them  than  even  sighs 

o  o 

and  tears  1  Both  old  women  were  thinking  of 
the  days  of  their  youth  gone  forever,  and  of 
the  Eternal  Youth  to  which  every  day  was 
bringing  them  nearer. 

So  they  remained  thoughtful  and  silent  until 
another  song  arose  with  even  more  enthusiasm 
than  any  other  preceding  it.  Then  Madame 
roused  herself;  she  put  away  her  knitting  and 
began  to  move  about  the  room,  to  open  closets 
and  to  take  out  chocolate  and  sweet  cakes  and 
some  of  the  children's  rollichies.  She  gave  her 
whole  attention  to  this  employment  until 
Femmetia  suddenly  asked : 

"  Is  it  not  your  time  to  be  saying  something, 
Madame?  Listen  1  What  is  it  they  are  singing? 
It  sounds  to  me  most  like  the  old  Tory  hymn." 

"  That  is  true.  Jacob,  what  is  it  that  you 
sing  ? "  Madame  called  in  an  imperative  voice, 
for  the  singers  were  in  an  adjoining  room. 

"  It  is  a  good  Dutch  song,  mother,  made  by 
138 


Paul  has  Hopes 


a  Dutch  lady  at  the  Hague.  She  gave  it  to 
the  sailors  of  five  American  vessels  at  Amster 
dam.  It  was  printed  in  the  Pennsylvania  Packet^ 
and  I  cut  it  out  and  have  had  it  pinned  in  my 
Almanac ;  and  now  our  little  Katryntje  plays 
for  us  the  music  we  remember  so  well.  It  is 
fine  music ;  why  should  we  not  put  the  good 
words  to  it  ?  Listen,  then,"  and  in  a  glow  of 
national  love  and  pride,  the  three  girls  and 
the  two  men  sang  with  patriotic  fervor :  — 

"  God  save  the  Thirteen  States  ! 
Long  rule  the  United  States  ! 

God  save  our  Statei ! 
Make  us  victorious, 
Happy  and  glorioui, 
No  tyrants  over  us  j 

God  save  our  Statei ! 

"  O  Lord  !     Thy  gifts  in  store, 
We  pray,  on  Congress  pour, 

To  guide  our  States. 
May  Union  bless  our  land  ; 
While  we,  with  heart  and  hand, 
For  right  and  Freedom  stand  ! 

God  bless  our  States  ! 

139 


Trinity  Bells 

'«  God  save  the  Thirteen  States  ! 
Long  watch  the  prosperous  Fates, 

Over  our  States  ! 
Make  us  victorious, 
Happy  and  glorious, 
No  tyrants  over  us  ; 

God  save  our  States  !  " 

"Very  good,"  said  Madame  complacently, 
when  the  stanzas  were  finished  ;  "  much  better 
than  c  God  save  Great  George  our  King.' 
You  talk  of  changes,  Femmetia.  We  have  both 
of  us  sung  for f  Great  George,'  and  now  —  /  " 
She  threw  down  the  stocking  she  was  knit 
ting,  with  the  air  of  a  woman  who  felt  all 
language  to  be  inadequate.  But  after  a  minute 
or  two  she  added,  "  Come,  Matthew  and 
Jacob,  and  have  a  smoke  by  the  fire ;  and  eat 
some  rollichies  made  by  the  children  —  not  so 
very  bad  are  they  —  and  drink  a  little  cider, 
and  tell  us  about  the  war.  I  hear  that  it  is 
now  certain." 

So  passed  the  evening  away,  the  whole  con 
versation  clearly  indicating  the  grandmother's 
140 


Paul  has  Hopes 

ability  to  accept  the  spirit  of  the  times.  She 
even  praised  Catharine's  voice  and,  in  the 
morning  when  she  bade  her  "  good-bye,"  said  : 
"  You  are  a  good  singer ;  well,  then,  be  also  a 
good  girl."  But  in  spite  of  these  words,  Cath 
arine  did  not  feel  that  she  had  come  any  closer 
to  her  grandmother's  heart  or  love.  And 
without  being  at  all  envious  or  jealous,  she 
could  not  help  but  notice  how  much  more 
familiar  and  affectionate  the  old  lady  was  with 
Gertrude  and  Alida  —  how  much  more  inter 
ested  in  their  life,  their  amusements,  their 
friends  and  their  dress.  A  polite  inquiry 
about  her  mother's  health  was  all  the  attention 
she  gave  to  her  daughter-in-law's  affairs;  and  as 
to  her  business  venture,  she  never  named  it. 

Perhaps  Uncle  Jacob  also  noticed  this  neglect 
of  interest,  for  he  paid  Catharine  much  atten 
tion.  He  called  for  extra  wraps  in  the  sleigh, 
he  troubled  himself  about  her  feet  and  her 
hands,  and  wondered  if  the  little  red  hood  she 
wore  was  warm  enough  to  protect  her  ears. 
141 


Trinity  Bells 

And  all  the  way  to  the  city  he  talked  to  her 
about  her  father,  and  did  his  best  to  comfort 
and  to  give  her  hope.  When  they  reached  the 
home,  Madame  Van  Clyffe  was  just  coming 
from  the  Fly  Market  with  two  of  her  negro 
slaves,  who  were  carrying  the  baskets  of  pro 
visions  she  had  been  buying.  Uncle  Jacob 
gave  her  a  cheerful  greeting,  and  clasping  her 
hands  he  told  her  how  much  he  had  enjoyed 
little  Tryntje's  music,  and  how  glad  he  was 
they  were  doing  so  well. 

They  parted  with  smiles  and  good  words, 
but  Catharine's  heart  fell  in  an  unaccountable 
manner  as  soon  as  she  was  alone.  For  the 
very  first  time  she  rebelled  at  the  thought  of 
work,  and  it  was  with  great  reluctance  she  un 
covered  the  pretty  blue'  areophane  gown  she 
was  starring  with  silver  thread.  She  could  not 
help  thinking  of  Gertrude  and  Alida,  who  were 
doubtless  skating  merrily  on  the  frozen  river, 
and  who,  when  this  pleasure  tired  them,  would 
go  in  their  sleigh  to  make  calls  on  their  young 
142 


Paul  has  Hopes 

friends,  and  talk  about  the  dresses  they  were  to 
wear  at  the  Miss  Hoaglands'  dancing  party. 
It  was  the  kind  of  life  which  she  herself  had 
expected  to  lead,  and  the  tears  came  unbidden 
and  unchecked  to  her  eyes  as  she  lifted  her 
work.  For  this  morning  it  was  really  work. 
She  could  not  disguise  the  fact,  and  when  her 
mother  next  entered  the  room  she  saw  plainly 
the  signs  of  her  trouble  and  dissatisfaction. 

"  What  is  it,  then,  Katryntjc?"  she  asked,  as 
she  seated  herself  and  looked  sadly  at  her 
daughter. 

And  Catharine  did  exactly  as  older  persons 
do  —  she  laid  the  blame  of  her  tears  and  trouble, 
not  on  herself,  but  on  the  most  convenient 
person  outside  herself.  She  said  it  was  im 
possible  for  her  not  to  notice  how  much  her 
grandmother  thought  of  Gertrude  and  Alida, 
and  how  little  she  cared  for  her.  "  As  for 
Paul,"  she  added,  "she  never  named  him,  and 
yet  he  is  her  only  grandson." 

"  My  dear  one  ! "  answered  Madame  Van 
H3 


Trinity  Bells 

Clyffe,  <c  no  one  can  make  others  to  love 
them.  And  you  cannot  go  to  the  market  and 
buy  love ;  it  must  be  freely  given.  But  look 
here,  your  grandmother  knows  you  not;  very 
seldom  has  she  seen  you.  But  Gertrude  and 
Alida  have  been  nursed  in  her  arms.  Their 
mother  died  when  Gertrude  was  not  yet  two 
years  old  and  Alida  but  two  weeks.  Then 
your  grandmother  took  the  motherless  little 
ones  to  her  heart.  Also  she  was  not  opposed 
to  your  Uncle  Jacob's  wife,  and  to  me  she  was 
much  opposed ;  that  made  much  difference. 
Now,  Tryntje,  think  of  this,  your  cousins  have 
your  grandmother,  but  you  have  your  mother  ! 
Am  I  not  sufficient  ?  " 

Then,  with  kisses  and  tears,  Catharine  clung 
to  her  darling  mother,  and  told  her  she  was 
"  the  dearest,  sweetest  heart  in  all  the  world  ! " 
And  her  mother  held  her  on  her  knees,  and 
petted  and  blessed  her,  and  said  "  her  little 
daughter  had  been  the  joy  and  the  strength  of 
her  life,"  and  so  wiped  all  tears  away.  Then 


Paul  has  Hopes 

Catharine  lifted  her  work  with  a  smile,  and  in 
half  an  hour  she  was  softly  singing  a  Canadian 
boat  song  to  the  rapid  movement  of  her 
needle.  Yet  the  depths  of  her  young  heart 
were  still  troubled,  though  a  smile  like  sun 
shine  hid  their  restlessness  and  gloom. 

For  Catharine  had  come  to  one  of  those 
bitter  hours  of  temptation,  when  the  soul  be 
lieves  that  it  has  done  well  in  vain.  She  was 
tormented  with  questions  she  did  not  dare  to 
face.  Why  was  she  working  ?  Why  not  take 
her  pleasure  like  other  girls  of  her  age  ? 
Would  not  her  mother  have  managed  without 
her  help  ?  At  any  rate,  would  not  Uncle  Jacob 
have  helped  in  her  place.  What  good  had 
come  from  her  self-denial  ?  Into  her  mind 
there  flashed  the  fact  that  all  her  earnings  had 
gone  for  winter  clothing  for  Paul  and  herself. 
Was  it  worth  while  sewing  so  hard  for  great 
coats  and  hats  and  bonnets  ?  Poor  little  one  ! 
She  was  righting  alone  that  depressing  tempta 
tion,  when  virtue  has  failed  to  reward  us,  and 
10  145 


Trinity  Bells 

vrc  regret  having  served  her.  Very  good  men 
and  women  have  often  the  same  temporary 
doubt  of  the  omnipotence  of  righteousness  ;  so 
it  was  no  wonder  that  a  girl  so  inexperienced 
as  Catharine  should  have  succumbed  to  the 
same  temptation. 

It  was  altogether  an  unhappy  day ;  and 
many  days  of  the  like  hopeless  character  fol 
lowed  it.  It  seemed  to  Catharine  that  some 
thing  ought  to  happen ;  that  something  must 
happen.  She  caught  her  mother's  nervous 
trick  of  listening  for  a  knock ;  for  the  knock 
at  the  door.  She  was  almost  angry  because 
Paul  was  in  a  much  brighter  temper.  She 
would  not  listen  to  reports  of  his  conversa 
tions  with  Mr.  Errington ;  or  sympathize  with 
his  enthusiasm  over  public  events. 

"  What  does  it  matter  to  us  ? "  she  asked, 
"  that  France  is  insolent,  and  that  we  are  going 
to  fight  her.  This  will  not  bring  home  our 
father;  and  mother  says  it  will  make  every 
thing  very  dear ;  and  the  taxes  much  higher. 
146 


Paul  has  Hopes 

I  see  not  what  you  are  so  happy  about. 
Mother  is  more  anxious  than  ever  before." 

Then  Paul  took  her  work  out  of  her  hand, 
and  sat  down  beside  her.  "  My  little  sister," 
he  said,  "  listen  to  me.  You  have  always 
been  Paul's  helper  and  comforter;  at  this  time 
you  must  not  desert  him.  I  am  going  to  sea  ; 
I  am  going  into  the  navy  !  For  we  are  now 
organizing  a  navy,  and  Mr.  Errington  is  sure 
he  has  influence  enough  to  get  me  a  commis 
sion  on  one  of  the  new  frigates.  Uncle  Jacob 
says  it  is  right  for  me  to  go ;  and  I  am  so 
happy  in  this  new  hope !  Oh,  my  darling  sis 
ter,  be  happy  with  me  !  " 

Then  all  the  gloom  and  coldness  of  her 
selfish  sorrow  fell  away  from  her.  It  was  as 
if  she  had  slipped  out  of  a  black  garment. 
Her  beautiful  face  was  illumined  by  the  unself 
ish  heart  that  instantly  rejoiced  in  her  brother's 
happiness.  She  was  the  brave,  bright,  affec 
tionate  Catharine  again. 

"  I  am  delighted !  I  am  glad  for  you,  Paul ! ** 


Trinity  Bells 

she  cried.  "  What  can  I  do  ?  What  is  it  you 
wish  from  me  ?  How  shall  I  show  you  my 
pleasure  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  yet  dared  to  tell  mother.  I 
knew  that  she  would  weep  and  beg  me  not  to 
go.  She  will  remind  me  of  father,  and  say 
that  I  also  will  never  come  back.  You  must 
stand  by  me,  no  matter  what  my  mother  says." 

"I  will.  Now,  then,  tell  me  what  is  the 
quarrel  with  the  French.  I  think,  ever  since 
I  can  remember,  they  have  been  filling  the 
world  with  their  brawls  and  tumults  and 
hectoring." 

"  It  is  this,  Katryntje.  Ever  since  President 
Adams  was  inaugurated,  last  March,  Adet, 
the  French  minister  here,  has  been  trying  to 
make  us  fight  England,  because  France  is 
fighting  her.  It  is  not  our  quarrel.  We  may 
not  like  England,  but  we  are  not  going  to 
be  made  fight,  whether  we  want  to  or  not. 
France  has  at  length  demanded  our  alliance ; 
and,  because  we  have  again  refused,  she  has 
148 


"  The  United  States  has  millions  for  defence,  but  not  one 

cent  for  tribute" 


Paul  has  Hopes 


sent  out  men-of-war  to  assail  our  commerce, 
and  ordered  our  minister  to  leave  French 
territory." 

"  Well,  then  ?  " 

"  Well,  then,  we  sent  ambassadors  to  France, 
to  try  and  make  peace,  and  the  French  Gov 
ernment  would  not  receive  them  unless  we 
paid  into  the  French  Treasury  a  quarter  ot 
a  million  of  dollars  !  And  one  of  our  am 
bassadors,  Mr.  Pinckney  of  South  Carolina, 
answered  c  The  United  States  has  millions  for 
defence,  but  not  one  cent  for  tribute!  Was 
not  that  a  grand  reply  ? " 

"  Indeed  it  was." 

"  Mr.  Errington  says  it  is  one  of  the  finest 
things  in  history.  Very  well,  Washington  is 
to-day  in  Philadelphia,  organizing  an  army  ; 
and,  Tryntje  !  there  is  to  be  a  navy  immedi 
ately  —  six  frigates,  and  many  privateers  —  for 
Washington  has  told  Congress  plainly  c  if  we 
want  a  commerce,  we  must  have  a  navy  !  '  Hur 
rah  for  George  Washington  !  Now  if  father 
149 


Trinity  Bells 

was  only  here  !     Surely  this  news  will   bring 
him  home  !  " 

And  Paul,  in  a  fever  of  fight  and  expecta 
tion,  walked  the  room  as  if  it  were  a  quarter 
deck.  His  face  was  lifted  up,  his  eyes  flashing, 
his  hand  involuntarily  striking  his  side,  as  if 
seeking  a  sword.  He  was  so  enthusiastic  that 
Catharine  caught  the  patriotic  fire  from  him. 
She  forgot  herself  entirely,  and  then,  as  soon 
as  she  stepped  out  of  her  own  shadow,  she 
was  in  the  sunshine  of  life  once  more  —  then 
she  experienced  the  truth  of  her  teacher's 
axiom,  that  true  happiness  is  found  in  the 
love  that  flows  out  from  usy  rather  than  in  the 
love  that  flows  in  to  us. 


V 

The  Secret  of  the  Sea 


CHAPTER  V 

THE    SECRET    OF    THE    SEA 

THIS  conversation  took  place  on  a  Satur 
day  night,  and  on  the  Sabbath  nothing 
could  be  done.  Catharine  had  even  a  feeling, 
that  she  would  like  to  spend  this  one  day 
without  a  thought  of  the  change  that  was 
coming,  —  to  give  every  moment  of  it  to  the 
ways  and  feelings  of  a  life  that  was  so  soon  to 
pass  away  forever.  Paul  could  not  go  to  sea 
without  money  ;  but  for  this  day,  the  parting 
and  the  necessities  of  it  should  not  enter  into 
their  consciousness  and  spoil  their  pleasure. 

So  when  Paul  came  down  to  breakfast  with 
his  brightest  face,  Catharine  met  his  smile  with 
one  equally  hopeful.  The  mother  fell  easily 
into  their  happy  mood ;  the  whole  household 
accepted  the  tone  Paul  set ;  and  the  Sabbath 
peace  had  a  wonderful  cheerfulness  in  it.  The 


Trinity  Bells 

streets  were  cold  and  still,  but  dry  and  sunny  ; 
the  bells  seemed  to  have  caught  the  spirit  of 
the  day's  holy  gladness,  and  sounded  more 
softly  and  sweetly  than  usual ;  they  were  just 
chiming  ten,  as  Paul  and  Catharine  left  the 
house  together  for  church.  Hand  in  hand 
they  went,  their  steps,  and  the  gentle  move 
ment  of  their  clasped  hands,  keeping  time  to 
the  melodious  semibreves.  The  church  was 
cold,  and  the  service  long,  but  they  sang  out 
of  the  same  book,  and  sat  close  together 
throughout  it.  Perhaps  neither  of  them  lis 
tened  very  attentively  to  the  preacher ;  for 
they  were  listening  to  the  voices  of  the  past, 
and  the  future :  one  was  full  of  tender  re 
miniscence  ;  the  other  full  of  joyful  expecta 
tion  ;  and,  accompanying  both,  was  the  solemn 
wonder  as  to  how  many  Sabbaths  might 
elapse,  ere  this  loving  communion  could  again 
be  possible  to  them. 

As   they   walked    home    after    the   service, 
Catharine  said :  "  We  will  tell  mother  to-night. 
'54 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

The  servants  will  be  at  Lorenzo  Dow's  prayer 
meeting,  and  perhaps  Mr.  Errington  may  be 
out.  And  there  is  always  a  feeling  in  the 
house  on  Sundays  that  is  different  from  the 
feeling  on  other  days.  It  will  be  in  your  favor, 
Paul,  and  it  will  help  mother  to  understand 
and  to  bear  better." 

But  very  early  in  the  evening  Mr.  Errington 
sent  for  Paul,  and  as  it  was  possible  he  might 
have  something  to  say  which  would  change  the 
current  of  events,  Catharine  resolved  to  keep 
her  secret  until  Paul  returned  to  them.  It  is 
so  easy  for  love  to  put  off  words  that  may 
bring  sorrow ;  and,  looking  in  her  mother's 
face  and  understanding  the  care  below  the 
smile,  and  the  anxious  watching  that  was 
always  in  her  troubled  eyes,  Catharine  was 
glad  to  spare  her  even  one  night  the  knowl 
edge  of  her  coming  loss. 

With  a  meaning  glance  at  his  sister,  Paul 
went  gayly  upstairs  to  his  friend.  He  was  full 
of  hope,  notwithstanding  his  assumed  doubt, 
'55 


Trinity  Bells 

and  Catharine  watched  his  tall,  agile  figure 
springing  upward,  two  steps  at  a  time,  and 
thought  how  handsome  he  would  look  in  his 
uniform,  and  how  completely  suitable  his  alert, 
prompt  manner  would  be  on  a  man-of-war. 

Mr.  Errington  had  good  news  for  the  youth. 
"  It  is  settled,"  he  said.  "  You  are  to  have  a 
midshipman's  warrant  to  the  United  States,  a 
fine  frigate  of  forty-four  guns,  and  you  are  off 
at  once  for  a  cruise  in  West  Indian  waters. 
You  will  be  made  master's  mate  very  soon 
after  joining  —  if  you  keep  step  with  my  report 
of  you — and  indeed  I  think  your  preparation 
for  sea  service  is  far  beyond  the  usual.  Com 
modore  Barry,  your  commodore,  says  that  the 
navy  is  glad  to  get  brave  seamanlike  youths, 
though  few  of  those  accepted  have  yet  any 
knowledge  of  the  navigation  of  a  ship." 

"  I  understand  navigation  theoretically,"  said 

Paul,  "  and   I   think  I   can    soon    reduce    my 

knowledge  to   practice.      Indeed,  sir,  I  know 

not  what  words  to  say.     I  am  filled  with  grati- 

156 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

tude.  I  never  hoped  for  such  good  fortune. 
I  will  try  and  be  worthy  of  it ;  you  have  been 
a  friend  beyond  all  friends  to  me." 

"  Do  not  overrate  my  service,  Paul.  I  had 
only  to  ask  in  order  to  receive.  As  it  happens, 
I  have  some  influence ;  I  mean  I  have  friends 
who  were  glad  to  give  what  I  desired." 
"  Yes.  I  wonder  —  Excuse  me." 
"  I  know  what  you  wonder,  Paul,  and  your 
wonder  is  quite  reasonable,  and  I  have  no  ob 
jections  to  satisfy  it.  You  wonder  how  I, 
being  an  Englishman,  have  so  many  friends 
among  men  of  power  and  influence  in  this 
government.  I  will  tell  you.  My  father  was 
one  of  the  stanchest  upholders  of  the  rights 
of  the  American  colonists,  both  before  and 
during  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  spoke  in 
Parliament  for  them ;  he  wrote  many  forcible 
pamphlets  in  support  of  their  claims,  he 
suffered  some  political  disgrace  for  his  arraign 
ment  of  the  British  government  in  respect  to 
its  treatment  of  subjects  of  the  same  race  and 
'57 


Trinity  Bells 

faith,  and  who  really  wished  to  be  loyal  to  the 
Crown,  if  the  Crown  would  let  them.  When 
President  Adams  was  residing  in  London,  we 
were  on  terms  of  great  friendship  with  him, 
and  I  especially  delighted  in  listening  to  his 
descriptions  of  this  great  and  wonderful  coun 
try.  I  used  to  sit  and  imagine  what  it  would 
be,  to  see  a  Mississippi  running  straight 
through  England !  The  size  of  the  woods, 
the  mere  square  miles  of  the  prairies,  the 
picturesque  story  of  the  red  man,  the  stirring 
romance  of  these  thirteen  little  communities 
fighting  a  great  power  like  England,  filled  my 
heart  and  my  imagination.  I  desired  to  be  a 
citizen  of  such  a  land;  and  as  I  am  only  a 
poor  youngest  son,  my  father,  the  Viscount 
Errington,  thought  my  desire  a  very  sensible 
one.  Besides,  Paul,  I  have  no  taste  for  fight 
ing  or  sailing,  preaching,  or  diplomacy ;  my 
longings  are  all  for  land.  I  desire  to  be  a 
great  landowner,  —  to  build,  to  cultivate,  to 
turn  deserts  into  gardens,  and  to  sec  morasses 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

become  great  cities.  My  fortune  is  too  smali 
to  permit  me  any  such  indulgence  in  the  Old 
World;  but  here  I  can  make  gigantic  plans, 
and  reasonably  hope  to  see  them  realized. " 

"  Then,  sir,  you  intend  to  become  an  Ameri 
can  citizen  ? " 

"  Exactly.  I  am  even  now  considering,  with 
other  gentlemen,  a  great  plan  for  laying  out 
New  York,  miles  beyond  its  present  limits. 
And  I  have  already  chosen  a  site  for  my  own 
home,  far  beyond  the  inhabited  region  of  to-day. 
So  much  faith  have  I  in  the  future  of  this 
beautiful  city." 

Then  the  conversation  returned  to  Paul's 
position,  and  the  various  points  connected  with 
it ;  but  throughout  all  this  pleasant  discussion, 
Paul  was  aware  of  a  hurrying  anxiety  to  go  to 
his  mother  and  sister,  and  tell  them  of  the 
good  fortune  that  had  come  to  him.  But  he 
knew  that  on  Sunday  nights  Mr.  Errington 
liked  company,  and  it  appeared  ungrateful  to 
run  away  from  his  friend  as  soon  as  he  had 


Trinity  Bells 


obtained  the  desire  of  his  heart.  So  he  re 
mained  until  the  Bells  chimed  ten ;  then  he 
rose,  saying : 

"  I  have  to-night  only  one  sorrow  in  my 
heart.  I  wish  that  my  dear  father  was  here  to 
share  my  joy  and  pride." 

"  Of  course,"  replied  Mr.  Errington.  "  Of 
course,  that  is  natural  and  right  —  quite  right." 

"  You  see,  sir,  he  might  come  home  to 
morrow  ;  he  might  come  any  hour.  If  my 
life  was  in  a  story-book  I  dare  say  that  is  what 
would  happen ;  but  in  real  life  it  is  different." 

"  I  thought  your  father  was  dead  —  that  is, 
that  he  had  been  lost  at  sea.  Pardon  me !  I 
am  glad  I  am  mistaken." 

"  Lost  at  sea !  That  is  exactly  the  truth. 
We  have  not  heard  from  him  for  nearly  two 
years  ;  but  that  he  is  dead  —  drowned  —  I  will 
not  believe.  No  indeed !  My  father  is  too 
fine  a  sailor  to  lose  his  ship ;  and  The  Golden 
Victory  is  too  fine  a  ship  to  be  lost.  I  —  " 

Mr.  Errington  had  listened  with  a  polite 
1 60 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

interest  until  Paul  said  "  The  Golden  Victory" 
These  words  might  have  been  a  stone  thrown 
at  him.  He  made  a  sudden  involuntary  ex 
clamation,  and  was  visibly  and  powerfully 
affected.  Something  like  terror  crept  into  his 
face.  He  set  his  lips  tightly,  and  grasped  the 
back  of  a  chair,  as  if  he  felt  himself  to  be  in 
need  of  support.  So  great  was  his  emotion 
that  Paul  was  struck  dumb  by  it  and  left  his 
sentence  unfinished.  A  moment  of  intensely 
painful  silence  followed,  then  Paul  asked  : 

"What  is  it,  sir?      Are  you   ill?     Shall  1 
call  my  mother  ? " 

"  Sit  down,  Paul.     Let  me  think  —  you  said 
The  Golden  Victory?" 

"  Yes,  sir.     My  father's  ship." 

"Is  there  any  other  Golden  Victory?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  of  any  other." 

"  But  the  captain  ?     His  name  was  not  Van 
Clyffe.     Oh  no  !     It  was  Johnson,  I  think." 

"  No,  sir,  it  is  Jansen.     All  sailor-folk  call 
my  father  f  Captain  Jansen.' ' 
"  161 


Trinity  Bells 

"Yes —  Captain  Jansen." 

"  Do  you  know  something  about  him,  sir  ? 
If  you  do,  tell  me.  Is  he  dead  ?  " 

"No — I  hope  not.  The  Golden  Victory^  after 
a  terrible  fight,  was  taken  by  the  Algerine  pirates. 
Your  father  was  sold  as  a  slave  in  Tripoli." 

Paul  stood  as  motionless  as  if  he  had  been 
turned  into  stone.  He  tried  to  speak,  but  no 
words  came.  Errington  led  him  to  a  sofa, 
and  sat  down  beside  him.  He  clasped  his 
hands  and  spoke  as  tenderly  as  a  woman. 
"Try  and  bear  it,  Paul,  as  steadily  as  you 
can,"  he  said.  "  It  is  a  great  calamity  —  an 
awful  calamity  —  I  know  that.  I  have  seen 
it.  My  dear  Paul,  speak  to  me ! " 

"  Oh  God  !  Oh  God  !  "  cried  the  youth  in 
a  passion  of  tears.  "  My  father  !  My  good, 
brave  father  !  " 

"  He  may  yet  live.  He  can  be  ransomed. 
Paul,  what  arc  you  now  going  to  do  ?  " 

"  Free  him  !  Free  him  !  If  I  give  my  life 
for  his." 

16* 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

"That  is  right.  It  is  what  I  expect  from 
you." 

Then  he  rose,  and,  instead  of  calling  his  ser 
vant,  he  himself  put  more  wood  on  the  fire ; 
drew  two  chairs  within  its  warmth,  and  led 
Paul  to  one  of  them.  "  While  you  are  gaining 
some  control  over  your  feelings,"  he  said,  "  I 
will  tell  you  how  I  know  this  about  The  Golden 
Victory.  I  had  a  friend,  whom  I  loved  as  my 
own  soul.  He  went  to  Italy  three  years  ago. 
On  his  return  to  England,  he  stayed  in 
Southern  Spain  a  few  weeks,  and  at  the  port 
of  Cadiz  took  passage  for  London  in  a  vessel 
called  The  Golden  Victory^  which  had  a  cargo  of 
fruits  and  wines  for  that  port.  In  the  Bay  of 
Biscay  they  were  met  by  an  Algerine  man-of- 
war,  and  although  she  was  double  their  size, 
and  carried  twenty-eight  guns,  to  the  twelve 
guns  of  The  Golden  Victory,  a  long  and  bloody 
fight  ensued.  It  was  in  vain.  When  all  the 
men  but  your  father,  my  friend,  and  three 
seamen  were  dead  or  disabled,  when  the 
163 


Trinity  Bells 


human  fiends  were  clambering  on  all  sides 
into  the  gallant  ship,  resistance  was  no  longer 
possible." 

"Why  did  not  my  father  blow  her  up?  I 
would  have  sent  her  to  the  bottom,  and  gone 
there  with  her." 

"  Nineteen  years  old  does  many  foolish 
things ;  that  would  have  been  one  of  them, 
even  if  it  had  been  possible,  which  it  was  not. 
The  ship  and  men  were  taken  to  Tripoli.  The 
Golden  Victory  now  sails  as  a  pirate  craft,  under 
a  name  which  means  The  American  Slave. 
Your  father  was  driven  inland.  My  friend 
was  permitted  to  write  home  for  his  ransom ; 
and  in  the  meantime  was  heavily  ironed,  and 
set  to  drawing  large  blocks  of  building  stone 
from  the  quarries ;  yoked  sometimes  with 
mules  or  oxen.  Being  the  son  of  a  noble 
man  his  ransom  was  heavy ;  six  thousand 
pounds  —  but  it  was  quickly  provided,  and  I 
myself  went  with  it.  Need  I  tell  you  what  I 
saw  ?  Have  you  heard  anything  of  these  in- 
164 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

fidel  monsters,  whose  delight  is  in  torturing 
their  Christian  slaves  ? " 

"  I  have  heard  too  much,"  said  Paul,  almost 
in  a  whisper.  "  My  uncle  has  had  many  of 
those  redeemed  by  our  government  at  his 
house.  I  have  seen  their  crippled  limbs,  the 
marks  of  the  lash  and  the  bastinado — cruel 
scars  that  nothing  can  hide.  Oh,  sir,  I  must 
go  to  my  father.  Thank  you  !  Thank  you 
for  what  you  have  done ;  but  that  dream  is- 
over.  I  must  get  the  money  for  my  father's 
redemption.  I  know  not  how  —  I  am  all  con 
fused  yet  —  but  I  can  see,  and  feel,  that  to  be 
my  first  duty.  How  much  money  shall  I 
need?" 

"  I  can  only  give  you  two  facts  to  judge 
from.  This  government  paid  sixty  thousand 
dollars  for  twenty  sailors ;  and  again  one  mil 
lion  dollars,  for  one  hundred  and  eighty  officers 
and  men,  taken  from  fifteen  American  vessels. 
Your  father,  by  his  resistance,  caused  the  death 
of  many  Tripolitan  pirates ;  I  should  not  think 
165 


Trinity  Bells 

he  will  be  freed  for  less  than  ten  thousand 
dollars.  On  the  subject  of  ransom,  these  sav 
ages  are  implacable.  They  never  give  up  a 
prisoner  without  one.  It  is  rather  singular 
that  I  had  some  thoughts  of  getting  you  as 
signed  to  the  ship  George  Washington,  of  twenty- 
eight  guns,  which  is  soon  to  leave  for  Algiers, 
with  half  a  million  of  money  for  the  Dcy." 

Paul's  face  radiated  a  passionate  anger.  "It 
is  a  shame ! "  he  cried.  "  It  is  a  burning 
shame  that  the  United  States  should  do  such 
a  thing !  After  whipping  England  are  we 
forced  to  pay  blackmail  to  such  infamous 
pirates  ?  How  can  it  be  borne  ?  " 

"Patience,  Paul !  It  is  the  inexorable  logic 
of  events.  But  your  anger  is  natural  and 
shared  by  every  American  officer.  Bainbridge, 
who  goes  with  this  protection  money,  would 
far  rather  blow  the  Dey's  forts  about  his  ears. 
The  United  States  will  do  so  eventually.  She 
is  biding  her  right  time." 

"  Every  time  is  the  right  time  for  such  a 
166 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

deed.  Every  hour  these  pirates  poison  the 
world  is  a  scandal  to  Christianity  and  civiliz 
ation  ! " 

"  You  must  be  reasonable.  There  are  many 
things  to  be  considered.  The  very  day  I  car 
ried  my  poor  friend  on  board  an  English  ship, 
a.  free  man  again,  two  English  ships  came  into 
Tripoli  harbor  with  one  hundred  and  sixty 
thousand  dollars  worth  of  naval  supplies  as  a 
present  from  the  English  government  to  the 
Dey." 

"  What  an  infamy  !  England  at  least  is 
strong  enough  to  blow  these  devils  from  off 
the  earth  and  the  seas." 

"  She  has  her  reasons  for  protecting  them. 
And  they  in  return  permit  no  other  ships  to 
enter  the  Mediterranean  Sea  for  trade  but 
British  ships.  They  are,  in  fact,  England's 
sea-dogs ;  their  business  is  to  throttle  all  com 
merce  but  that  carried  on  in  English  merchant 
ships.  At  present  America  is  really  at  war 
with  France ;  does  she  want  also  to  pick  a 
167 


Trinity  Bells 

quarrel  with  the    Dey   of  Algiers  —  and  his 
powerful  backer  ?  " 

"  How  can  England  be  so  wicked  ?  " 

"It  is  business,  Paul.  f  Every  one  for 
themselves/  is  a  national  as  well  as  an  individ 
ual  maxim." 

"  England  is  Christian.  How,  then,  can  she 
encourage  Mohammedans  to  sell  and  torture 
Christians  in  the  interests  of  trade  ?  " 

"  We  are  not  inquiring  into  that  subject  at 
present,  Paul.  I  have  told  you  these  facts  to 
show  you  why  America  is  at  present  forced  to 
buy  protection  for  her  merchant  vessels." 

"  Glory  to  George  Washington  ! "  cried 
Paul.  "  He  has  truly  and  boldly  told  us  that 
if  we  want  commerce  we  must  have  a  navy." 

"  Nothing  is  truer.  Merchant  ships  will 
be  prey  unless  there  are  men-of-war  behind 
them." 

"And  your  friend?  "  asked  Paul. 

"  He  is  dead.  He  reached  home,  and  lin 
gered  a  few  weeks." 

1 68 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

"  What  if  my  father  is  also  dead  ?     It  is  a 
long  captivity.     How  could  he  bear  it?  " 

"  I  think  he  is  alive." 

"  But  your  friend  in  —  " 

"  My  friend  was  delicate  and  had  been  deli 
cately  reared.  Your  father  is  inured  to  hard 
ships  of  all  kinds.  Moreover,  Paul,  I  believe 
in  God  Almighty.  I  do  not  think  he  would 
have  so  wonderfully  sent  me  with  this  message 
to  you  unless  your  father  was  alive  and  able  to 
profit  by  the  giving  of  it.  I  had  no  knowl 
edge  of  you  when  I  casually  asked  the  clerk 
in  the  bank,  who  was  attending  to  my  business, 
about  a  lodging-house.  I  had  not  before  ever 
thought  of  such  a  thing.  I  was  astonished  at 
myself  for  the  inquiry.  Do  you  not  see  that  I 
was  sent  here  to  tell  you  about  The  Golden  Vic 
tory  and  your  father's  captivity  ?  Perhaps  I 
am  the  only  free  man  in  life  who  could  do 
this.  God  is  just  and  kind.  He  would  not 
raise  a  hope  unless  he  intended  to  realize  it. 
Such  hopes  are  prophecies." 
169 


Trinity  Bells 

"  Thank  you,  sir,  for  that  thought.  I  will 
trust  the  hope,  and  work  towards  it.'* 

"  I  am  sure  you  will.  Now,  you  had 
better  try  to  sleep  ;  you  look  ill  and  weary. 
In  the  morning,  you  will  see  better  what 
to  do." 

But  it  was  impossible  for  Paul  to  sleep. 
This  was  a  calamity  undreamed  of.  He 
doubted  if  his  mother  and  sister  knew  anything 
about  the  Algerine  pirates.  They  were  one 
of  those  factors  in  the  national  affairs  about 
which  even  the  newspapers  were  discreetly 
eloquent.  It  is  true,  both  American  and  Eng 
lish  philanthropists  were  holding  meetings  and 
collecting  money  for  the  redemption  of  these 
Christian  slaves ;  and  that  public  sentiment 
was  rapidly  rising  to  a  point  which  would  in 
sist  on  active  interference ;  yet,  for  all  this,  the 
average  men  and  women  were  not  more  inter- 

D 

ested   than  they  usually  are   in  calamities  far 

off  and  which  do  not  personally  concern  them. 

Paul  and  his  sister  had  often  spoken  fearfully 

170 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

of  the  possibility  of  the  ship  having  foundered ; 
they  had  even  imagined  her  cast  upon  some 
unknown,  or  savage  shore ;  but  that  their 
father  should  be  sold  for  a  slave,  and  The 
Golden  Victory  turned  into  a  robbers'  and  mur 
derers'  craft,  was  a  disaster  which  had  never 
occurred  to  them  as  a  possibility. 

Sleep  !  Sleep  was  a  thousand  leagues  away 
from  Paul.  The  wretched  stories  which  he 
had  listened  to  in  a  half-credulous  mood  at 
his  uncle's  fireside,  and  which,  at  any  rate,  he 
had  never  thought  could  have  any  connection 
with  himself,  now  returned  to  his  memory 
with  all  the  stupendous  effects  night  and  dark 
ness  and  distance  and  flesh  and  blood  rela 
tions  could  give  them.  He  could  not  be  quiet. 
The  terrors  of  wakeful,  excited  feeling  and 
imagination  made  the  stillness  of  the  bed  in 
tolerable.  He  got  up,  and  then  the  cold  drove 
him  back  to  bed.  When  the  bells  chimed 
midnight  he  dressed  himself,  and  went  to  his 
sister's  door. 

171 


Trinity  Bells 

"  Katryntje  !  "  he  called  softly ;  and  at  the 
third  time  she  asked  : 

"  Paul,  is  it  thou  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Is  mother  sick  ?  " 

"  No ;  but  there  is  great  trouble.  Dress 
yourself  and  come  to  the  parlor  fire.  I  will 
make  a  good  fire." 

"  It  is  so  bitter  cold,  Paul.  Will  the  morn 
ing  not  be  soon  enough  ?  " 

"  Come  quickly." 

Then  she  heard  him  go  downstairs,  and  the 
cold  and  the  darkness,  with  this  vague  phan 
tom  of  "  great  trouble  "  in  them,  felt  terrible. 
She  shivered  palpably,  for  there  was  no  coal 
in  those  days,  no  furnace  or  steam  heat,  only 
the  wood  fires,  which  were  so  inadequate  un 
less  constantly  replenished.  Outside  and 
inside  it  was  below  zero ;  she  groped  about 
for  her  clothing ;  and  was  finally  obliged  to 
get  the  tinder-box  and  try  to  strike  a 
light.  But  it  was  difficult  work.  Her  hands 
172 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

shook ;  the  tinder  was  badly  burnt ;  it  took 
her  several  minutes  to  get  a  spark  from  the 
flint  that  would  ignite  it ;  then  the  first  spark 
went  out  before  she  had  the  match  ready ; 
and  she  was  crying  with  real  suffering  before 
the  welcome  blaze  was  strong  enough  to  light 
her  candle,  and  show  her  the  whereabouts  of 
her  shoes  and  stockings  and  garments.  And 
all  the  time  she  was  sure  it  was  something  that 
Mr.  Errington  had  said  or  done  —  something 
about  Paul's  going  to  sea;  and  she  did  feel 
that  Paul  might  have  waited  until  morning 
brought  light  and  warmth. 

However,  when  she  got  downstairs  there  was 
a  good  fire,  and  Paul  had  drawn  the  sofa  close 
to  the  hearth,  and  brought  a  buffalo  robe  to 
wrap  her  in.  His  consideration  pleased  her  and 
she  gave  him  a  smile  for  it ;  then  she  saw  some 
thing  in  his  face  that  went  to  her  heart  like  a 
blow.  "Paul/'she  said  in  a  fright, "is  it  father?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  Katryntje  !  It  is  father  !  Poor 
father!" 


Trinity  Bells 

Then,  he  plunged  at  once  into  the  pitiful 
story.  His  words  trod  one  on  the  other,  they 
burned  with  his  anger,  they  were  wet  with  his 
tears  ;  when  he  ceased  speaking  it  was  as  if  the 
room  was  on  fire.  At  the  beginning  of  his 
narrative  they  had  both  been  sitting  on  the 
sofa ;  when  it  was  finished  unconsciously  they 
had  risen,  and  were  standing  together  quivering 
from  head  to  feet.  All  their  life  was  swallowed 
up  in  a  sense  of  stress,  in  a  hurry  of  love  and 
sorrow  that  could  not  endure  the  limitations 
of  hours. 

"  Will  it  never  be  morning  ?  Will  it  never 
be  morning?  "  cried  Catharine.  "  How  dread 
ful  to  sit  here  and  be  able  to  do  nothing  but 
think  and  weep.  And  what  shall  we  do  when 
morning  comes  ?  " 

"  We  ought  at  least  to  be  ready  to  do  some 
thing,"  said  Paul.  "  For  this  reason  I  awakened 
you,  Tryntje,  my  dear  one." 

"  First  of  all,  mother  must  not  be  told,  if 
there  is  any  way  to  prevent  it.  I  shall  go  to 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

grandmother  after  breakfast  as  soon  as  it  is 
possible." 

"  And  I  will  see  Uncle  Jacob.  But  suppose 
that  they  can  do  nothing  ? " 

"  They  must  do  something.  Oh,  Paul,  at 
this  very  moment,  our  father  may  be  hungry 
and  thirsty,  or  suffering  from  the  cruelty  of  the 
wretches  who  drive  him  to  work.  Oh,  I  can 
not  bear  it ! "  and  she  put  up  her  hands  and 
clasped  her  forehead  to  keep  down  the  smoth 
ering  sense  of  terrible  imaginations  that  assailed 
her. 

"  Let  us  keep  some  hope,  Katryntje.  He 
may  have  found  a  good  master.  And  God 
would  not  desert  him,  nor  leave  him 
comfortless." 

"  That  of  course,  Paul,  but  we  must  not 
forget  for  a  moment  our  father's  sufferings. 
You  tell  me  that  he  has  but  one  pound  of  black 
bread  in  a  day,  and  a  little  water.  Very  well, 
then,  I  will  taste  nothing  but  the  food  that  is 
necessary  to  me  until  I  know  that  father  is 
J75 


Trinity  Bells 


either  at  rest  with  God,  or  a  free  man.  Bread 
and  meat  and  water  I  must  have  to  do  my 
work,  but  sweetmeats,  cakes,  dainties,  —  oh, 
indeed,  I  feel  that  they  would  choke  rne ! " 

"  You  are  quite  right,  little  sister.  I  too, 
will  refuse  them." 

"It  will  be  nothing  great  to  do,"  continued 
Catharine.  "  If  my  mother  sets  before  me  a 
delicious  custard,  or  a  fresh  doughnut,  I 
should  think  of  father's  black  bread  —  of  his 
one  pound  of  black  bread  —  and  how,  then, 
could  I  taste  them  ?  " 

"  Mother  will  wonder,  if  you  eat  nothing 
but  bread  and  meat ;  and  what  excuse  can  you 
make  to  her  ?  " 

"  Oh,  then,  I  have  a  better  thought  about 
mother  than  the  keeping  of  her  in  ignorance. 
It  would  be  extremely  selfish  in  us  to  do  so, 
and  at  the  last  she  would  feel  this.  She  has 
pearls  and  other  jewelry ;  she  will  want  to  give 
them.  As  soon  as  we  find  out  what  others 
can  do,  we  must  permit  that  our  mother  also 
176 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

does  her  part.  She  would  suspect,  she  would 
fear ;  it  is  far  better  that  she  should  know  the 
worst,  and  hope  for  the  best;  that  is  my  second 
thought  about  mother.  What  think  you, 
Paul?" 

"  I  think  it  is  the  best  thought.  Listen  to 
the  wind,  Katryntje  !  How  it  blows."  He 
made  her  lie  down,  and  wrapped  the  buffalo 
robe  around  her,  and  threw  more  wood  on  the 
fire,  and  they  talked  in  sad,  low  voices,  while  the 
winter  wind  clashed  the  wooden  shutters,  and 
roared  down  the  wide  chimney,  and  blew  the 
hour  chimes  far  out  to  sea  on  its  noisy  bluster. 
Sleep  had  gone  far  from  them,  they  had  for 
gotten  the  cold,  they  sat  in  wretched  commun 
ion  until  the  wet,  pale  daylight  broke.  Then 
a  negro  came  in  to  attend  to  the  fire,  and  the 
burden  of  active  life  was  to  lift  again. 

After  the  breakfast  was  over,  Catharine  made 
an  excuse  for  leaving  the  house,  and  went  as 
rapidly  as  possible  to  William  Street.  All 
was  as  still  as  the  grave  in  the  little  passage 

I*  I77 


Trinity  Bells 


on  which  Madame  Van  Clyffe's  rooms  opened 
Catharine  stood  listening  at  her  door  a  mo 
ment,  and  there  was  not  a  movement.  Her 
heart  fell.  She  feared  she  might  have  to  go  to 
her  uncle's,  and  then  there  would  also  be 
Gertrude  and  Alida,  and  she  did  not  feel  as  if 
she  could  tell  her  sorrowful  tale  before  them. 
Very  lightly  she  tapped  on  the  door,  and 
waited  breathlessly  for  an  answer. 

It  came  at  once.  There  was  the  movement 
of  a  chair,  a  few  heavy  steps,  and  the  door 
stood  open. 

"  Grandmother ! " 

The  one  word  was  charged  full  of  grie£ 
anxiety,  entreaty,  and  the  old  woman  looked  at 
the  woeful  young  face  confronting  her  with  a 
kind  of  angry  pity. 

"  What  brings  you  out  and  here  this  morn 
ing  ? "  she  asked.  "  You  are  wet  through. 
Come  in." 

She  followed  her  grandmother  into  a  kind 
of  parlor-kitchen.  There  was  a  good  fire  on 
178 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

the  hearth,  and  some  ham  broiling  in  a  little 
Dutch  oven  before  it.  A  plate  of  buttered 
toast  stood  on  the  fender  and  a  small  round 
table,  drawn  close  to  the  hearth,  was  set  for 
breakfast.  An  open  Bible  also  lay  on  the 
table,  and  it  was  evident  Madame  had  been 
reading  her  morning  portion  from  it  when 
disturbed  by  Catharine's  knock. 

The  unhappy  girl  went  to  the  fire  and  put 
her  wet  feet  upon  the  fender.  She  no  longer 
made  any  effort  to  control  her  feelings,  and 
tears  wet  her  white  cheeks  as  she  loosened  her 
bonnet  strings  and  shook  them  clear  of  the 
gathered  raindrops. 

"  Now,  then,  what  is  it  ?  For  nothing  you 
are  not  here.  And  I  am  not  pleased  at  your 
coming.  Why  have  you  come  ? "  Madame 
spoke  a  little  sternly ;  for  she  had  instantly 
made  up  her  mind  that  her  daughter-in-law 
was  in  some  financial  difficulty,  which  she  was 
to  be  asked  to  relieve. 

**  Grandmother  —  we  —  " 
179 


Trinity  Bells 


"Well,  then?" 

"  We  have  heard  of  father." 

"  Nothing  good,  I  see  that."  Her  aged 
form  shook  all  over  and  she  sat  down  in  her 
chair,  quite  unwittingly  laying  her  hand  on  the 
open  Bible.  "  Why  don't  you  speak  then  ?  " 
she  asked  fretfully.  "What  have  you  heard ? " 

"  His  ship  was  taken  by  the  pirates.  He 
was  sold  as  a  slave ;  he  is  now  either  dead,  or 
a  —  slave." 

A  sudden  great  passion  was  the  first  out 
come  of  this  intelligence.  "  He  deserves  it 
all ! "  she  cried.  "  He  deserves  it !  I  told 
him  what  would  happen !  He  would  go  to 
sea !  He  would  have  his  own  way !  c  Dis 
obedient  to  parents.'  Right !  Right  are  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  in  putting  children  Disobe 
dient  to  parents '  with  murderers,  and  revilers, 
and  blasphemers  —  " 

"  Oh    grandmother,    hush  I "     and    as    she 
spoke,  the  weeping  girl  let  her  hands  fall  to 
her  side  with  an  impetuous  thud. 
1 80 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

" '  Hush '  I  will  not !  To  me,  how  dare 
you  use  such  a  word  ?  I  say  your  father  is  a 
disobedient  son  and  disobedient  children  live 
not  out  half  their  days.  You  may  read  that  in 
the  Holy  Scriptures." 

"Well,  then,  grandmother,  if  he  has  done 
wrong,  he  has  suffered  ;  he  is  suffering.  Have 
pity  on  him !  Even  God  forgives  the  sinner." 

"When  the  sinner  asks  Him,  then  He 
forgives.  Jansen  has  never  written  me  a  line. 
Never  once  has  he  said  to  me,  f  Mother,  I  am 
suffering.  Mother,  I  am  sorry.' ' 

"  Not  one  word  has  he  sent  to  us.  Well, 
then,  it  must  be  that  he  cannot  send  any  word. 
Grandmother,  have  you  heard  ?  Do  you 
know  what  dreadful  men  these  pirates  are?" 

"  Heard  !  Know  !  Yes,  I  know  well  that 
hell  itself  is  blacker  for  every  one  that  goes 
there.  Who  told  you  this  news  ? " 

"  Mr.  Errington." 

"  The  Englishman  ?  Then  I  believe  not 
one  word  of  it." 

ifti 


Trinity  Bells 

"  It  is  the  truth.  Listen  !  "  and  Catharine 
went  over  the  story  which  Mr.  Errington  had 
told  Paul.  She  noticed  that  her  grandmother's 
face  glowed  with  pride  she  could  not  conceal, 
when  told  of  the  stubborn  fight  made  by 
the  Captain  of  The  Golden  Victory,  though  she 
asked  with  a  tearful  anger: 

"  Why  did  n't  he  run  ?  Why  did  he  fight  ? 
How  could  he  fight  devils,  slipped  away  from 
the  bottomless  pit  ?  "  Then  she  broke  utterly 
down.  She  rocked  herself  backwards  and  for 
wards;  she  wrung  her  old  hands,  and  sobbed 
out  in  a  voice,  that  filled  her  rooms  with  its 
passionate  anguish  : 

"  O  mijn  zoon  Jan  !  Mijn  zoon  !  mijn  zoon 
Jan  !  —  Och  dat  ik,  ik,  voor  u  gestorven  ware, 
Jan  mijn  zoon  !  mijn  zoon  !  "  1 

For  a  minute  or  two  Catharine  let  her 
sorrow  have  full  sway.  Then  she  stepped  to 
her  side,  kissed  the  tears  from  her  cheeks,  laid 
the  gray  old  head  against  her  breast  and  said 

1  2  Samuel  xviii.  33. 
182 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

she  hardly  knew  what  words  of  hope  and 
comfort. 

By  and  by  the  old  woman  recovered  herself. 
With  the  slow,  cold,  bitter  tears  of  age,  she 
began  to  consider  the  stunning  facts  that  had 
fallen  like  a  thunderbolt  on  her  lonely  hearth 
stone.  "  You  say  your  father  inland  has  been 
taken  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Mr.  Errington's  friend  said  the  captain 
with  whom  he  sailed  and  the  three  sailors  who 
had  survived  had  been  driven  inland.  They 
were  chained  two  and  two  for  the  march.  He 
bade  them  a  mute  f  good-by '  as  they  passed 
him." 

Madame  set  her  lips  hard,  her  eyes  filled 
again  ;  but  she  said  :  "  Well,  then,  what  is 
it  you  want?" 

"That  my  father  should  be  ransomed,  with 
out  one  hour's  delay." 

"  Yes,  yes !  I  will  send  Claes  Brevoort  to 
Washington.  He  will  tell  the  Government  — 
they  try  to  ransom  all  Americans.  O  mine 
183 


Trinity  Bells 


Goden  I  it  is  a  crying  shame  and  sin,  to  give 
good  gold  to  such  villains.  Why,  then,  do 
they  not  give  cannon  balls  ?  " 

"  Oh,  grandmother,  for  the  government  we 
cannot  wait." 

"  If  alive  your  father  is,  God  has  kept  him 
alive ;  and  what  He  has  done,  that  He 
will  do." 

"  Grandmother  —  God  has  now  sent  the 
word  to  us.  It  is  you  and  I,  and  Uncle  Jacob, 
and  Paul,  and  mother,  who  are  to  work  for  his 
release." 

"  What  can  I  do  ?  An  old  woman  am 
I,  nearly  seventy  years  old  am  I." 

"  You  can  perhaps  give  some  money ; 
that  —  " 

"  I  will  not  give  my  money  to  such  wicked 
men." 

"  It  is  for  father." 

"  How  much  money  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Errington  thinks  ten  thousand  dol 
lars." 

184 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

<c  Quite  crazy  are  you.  Ten  thousand  dol 
lars.  Owee !  owee!1  In  the  way  of  the 
wicked  your  father  would  go;  and — " 

"  Now  then,  grandmother,  no  use  is  there 
in  blaming  father.  He  is  not  to  blame.  Not 
at  all.  Very  brave  and  good  is  he.  Ten 
thousand  dollars  is  nothing  at  all  for  his  life ; 
and  it  is  ten  thousand  dollars  we  must  have ! " 
and  Catharine  spoke  with  an  anger  that  an 
noyed  her  grandmother. 

"  Oh,  indeed  !  "  she  answered.  "  Nothing 
at  all  is  ten  thousand  dollars.  Very  well,  then, 
for  nothing  at  all  why  come  to  me  ?  See,  now 
I  have  had  no  breakfast  —  leave  me  —  leave 
me—" 

"  I  cannot  leave  you,  grandmother,  till  some 
thing  is  said  —  till  something  is  done." 

"  I  will  see  your  Uncle  Jacob  —  I  will  think 
about  it.  In  one  minute  I  cannot  think,  I 
cannot  do.  Oh,  Jan  !  so  wicked,  so  cruel  you 
have  always  been  !  " 

•Alas!     Alas! 
185 


Trinity  Bells 

<f  It  is  cruel  in  you,  grandmother,  to  speak 
ill  of  my  father.  I  cannot  bear  it  —  "  and 
she  burst  into  such  a  passion  of  weeping  as 
astonished  and  even  a  little  frightened  the  old 
woman.  "  I  love  my  father,"  she  continued ; 
"I  will  move  heaven  and  earth  to  set  him  free. 
If  you  will  not  help,  I  will  ask  every  one 
I  meet  to  do  so.  I  will  stand  at  Trinity 
gates  and  beg  for  the  money.  I  will  ask 
Domine  de  Rhonde  to  make  a  collection  in 
the  church  for  it.  I  will  —  " 

"  One  great  fool  you  will  make  of  yourself. 
People  will  think  shame  of  you." 

"  They  will  not.  Who  is  there  that  will 
not  pity  a  girl  begging  for  her  father's  free 
dom  ?  Now,  this  minute,  I  will  go  straight 
to  the  Domine." 

"  Nothing  of  the  kind  you  will  do.  Sit 
down.  Your  senses  you  have  quite  lost.  Like 
some  one  crazy  you  talk.  And  what  is  the 
use  of  cry,  cry,  crying  ?  No  good  are  tears." 

At  this  moment  Jacob  Van  Clyffe  entered 
186 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

the  room,  and  seeing  Catharine  in  great  dis 
tress,  he  plunged  into  the  subject  at  once. 
"  Here  is  a  calamity,  mother,"  he  said.  "  Paul 
has  just  told  me,  and  I  see  that  you  also 
know." 

"  I  know." 

"  What  is  to  be  done  ?  " 

"  That  I  know  not." 

"  But  ten  thousand  dollars  are  to  be  got  at 
once." 

"  And  that  is  impossible." 

"  It  must  be  made  possible.  How  my 
affairs  stand  I  cannot  in  an  hour  say.  I  fear 
that  out  of  my  business  it  cannot  come.  To 
take  it  would  be  to  wrong  my  creditors." 

"  Yes,  and  all  to  pieces  will  go  your  business, 
and  you  will  get  into  debts  you  cannot  pay ; 
and  then  it  will  be  bankruptcy,  and  a  debtor's 
prison  for  you,  and  I  see  not  the  good  of  that." 

"  As  I  was  saying,  mother,  I  cannot  for   the 
sake  of  many  others  risk  my   business,  but   I 
can  mortgage  my  home." 
187 


Trinity  Bells 

"Without  my  will  and  name,  you  cannot 
mortgage  your  home  ;  and  my  will  and  name 
for  any  such  purpose  I  will  not  give  to  you. 
Any  trouble  can  come  out  of  this  great  trouble  ; 
it  will  breed  troubles  of  all  kinds,  and  Gertrude 
and  Alida  shall  not  be  put  in  danger  of  losing 
a  roof  to  cover  their  heads." 

"  But,  mother,  in  some  way  this  money 
must  be  obtained.  In  the  newspapers  Jan's 
situation  will  be  told ;  in  everybody's  mouth  it 
will  be  ;  in  the  church  the  Domine  will  offer 
prayers  for  him,  and  how  among  my  friends 
could  I  show  my  face  if  I  said  only  £poor 
Jan  !  *  and  buttoned  up  my  pockets.  There  is 
yet  more.  I  love  my  brother  ;  eat  I  cannot, 
nor  drink,  nor  sleep,  nor  do  my  business,  until 
all  that  is  possible  for  Jan's  release  is  set  going." 

"  Heaven  and  earth  I  "  cried  the  old  woman. 
"  Leave  me  !  Both  of  you  leave  me  to  myself! 
I  have  to  bear;  more  than  you  I  have  to  bear. 
I  must  have  time  to  think.  I  must  speak  to 
Claes  Brevoort.  I  must  find  out  what  moneys 
x88 


The  Secret  of  the  Sea 

I  have.  O  mine  Goden  I  "  she  cried  pitifully,  as 
she  dropped  her  head  upon  the  Bible.  "  Mijne 
Jan  I  Mijne  Jan  I  Owee  !  Owes  /  " 

Her  grief  was  terrible,  and  she  would  not  be 
comforted.  In  a  manner  too  imperative  to  be 
disregarded  she  bade  both  her  son  and  her 
granddaughter  "  leave  her  alone  with  her  sor 
row  "  and  Jacob  took  Catharine  by  the  hand 
and  led  her  away.  When  they  reached  the  street 
he  said  :  "  Go  home,  my  poor  lamishie  !  Go 
home  and  wait.  Whatever  can  be  done  I  will 
look  to.  So  wet  it  is,  and  so  cold  too.  You 
will  make  yourself  ill,  and  then  that  will  be 
more  trouble."  He  spoke  a  little  impatiently, 
but  Catharine  saw  the  tears  in  his  eyes  and  felt 
the  strong,  tender  clasp  of  his  hand  as  he  said : 

"In  the  dark  am  I,  Katryntje  !  I  see  not 
what  to  do."  Then,  as  he  turned  away,  she 
heard  him  utter  with  the  strong  entreating  of 
his  mother-tongue :  "  God  in  de  hemelin  verlichte 
mijne  oogen  !  "  l 

1  God  in  heaven  enlighten  my  eyes? 
189 


Trinity  Bells 


All  day  long  Paul  and  Catharine  waited, 
watched,  listened.  But  no  word  of  help  or 
hope  came.  They  were  so  young,  they  could 
not  understand  that  even  the  fondest,  strongest 
love  must  meet  delays  of  all  kinds.  When  the 
light  faded  into  darkness,  they  stood  together 
at  the  parlor  window  and  asked  each  other 
what  was  to  be  done. 

"  We  must  do  now  what  we  should  have 
done  at  first,"  said  Paul.  "  We  must  tell 
mother.  Never  yet  have  I  seen  mother  in  a 
strait  she  could  not  find  her  way  out  of." 

"  Yes,  we  will  go  to  mother.  It  is  we,  our 
own  selves,  who  must  help  father.  Was  not 
the  word  sent  to  us  ?  We  will  go  to  mother." 


VI 

Raising  the  Ransom 


CHAPTER  VI 

RAISING  THE  RANSOM 

ALL  that  Paul  expected  from  his  mother 
she  realized.  In  the  midst  of  her 
anguish  she  was  calm  and  mentally  clear  and 
alert;  and  before  the  sorrowful  tale  was  fully 
told  she  had  decided  what  course  to  take. 
"Children,"  she  said, "  I  know  well  that  Jacques 
Cortelyou  will  give  me  a  mortgage  on  this 
house.  Long  he  has  desired  to  have  it,  for 
he  owns  the  houses  on  each  side  of  us.  To 
morrow  morning  I  will  see  him ;  this  is  the 
first  thing  to  do.  Your  Uncle  Jacob  has  so 
many  claims  to  consider;  your  grandmother 
loves  her  gold  as  her  life.  We  must  help 
ourselves." 

She  made  little  outcry,  but  her  whole  being 
expressed  the  woeful  wretchedness  in  which  her 


Trinity  Bells 

soul  labored.  And  she  finally  confessed  that 
this  very  thing  had  been  the  haunting  fear 
which  had  filled  her  days  and  nights  for 
months  with  terror  unspeakable.  "  Not  to 
think  of  it,  not  to  speak  of  it  I  tried,"  she  said, 
"  because  I  was  so  afraid  by  doing  so  I  might 
call  the  sorrow  unto  us.  Yet  six  months  ago 
I  wrote  to  our  consul  at  Algiers  begging  him 
to  make  inquiries  about  your  father.  No 
answer  came  to  my  letter ;  so  then  I  had  hope 
that  the  thing  I  dreaded  had  not  happened 
to  us." 

They  went  early  and  sadly  to  rest.  Paul 
and  Catharine,  worn  out  with  their  previous 
night,  soon  fell  into  deep  and  restful  forget- 
fulness  of  all  sorrow,  but  Madame  Van  ClyfFe 
was  long  awake  with  her  grief.  However,  she 
was  not  a  woman  who  sought  help  through  the 
Gate  of  Tears  ;  to  her  the  Gate  of  Prayer  stood 
open  and  entering  into  that  sanctuary  a  voice 
from  the  unseen  soon  called  to  her  to  give  her 
patience  under  suffering,  and  to  assure  her  that 
194 


Raising  the  Ransom 

her  case  was  not  hidden  from  the  Lord  of  the 
Universe. 

In  the  morning  she  came  down  calm  and 
strong  and  ready  dressed  for  the  street.  But 
as  the  servants  were  passing  to  and  fro  nothing 
was  said  of  the  business  in  hand.  Indeed,  the 
time  for  talking  was  over,  and  all  felt  that  the 
hour  had  come  for  effort  that  must  not  be 
slackened  until  it  was  successful.  Paul  and 
Catharine  remained  together  while  their  mother 
took  the  step  which  she  believed  would  prove 
the  right  one.  Paul  sat  musing  by  the  fire. 
Catharine  could  not  work.  Her  sewing  lay  on 
the  table,  the  gay  silks  and  the  white  lute 
string,  but  she  had  no  heart  for  making  rose 
buds.  Neither  could  she  talk.  She  was  too 
anxious.  She  walked  up  and  down  the  room 
and  sometimes  stood  at  the  window  looking 
out  but  seeing  nothing.  She  longed  for  the 
Bells  to  say  a  word,  but  they  had  no  message 
for  her.  Nine  o'clock  chimed,  and  the  notes 
were  without  meaning ;  ten  o'clock  chimed,  and 


Trinity  Bells 

it  was  only  a  chime.  She  turned  impatiently 
when  it  was  over  and  saw  her  mother  coming 
up  the  steps.  It  was  a  very  stormy  morning 
and  Madame  was  wet  through,  but  when  she 
entered  the  parlor  there  was  a  look  on  her  face 
which  told  of  success  before  she  found  breath 
to  say : 

"  Children,  I  have  got  six  thousand  dollars 
on  the  house.  Now,  Paul,  you  will  go  to  your 
Uncle  Jacob,  and  tell  him  that  if  he  and  your 
grandmother  cannot  manage  the  other  four 
thousand  to-day  I  shall  go  to  Philadelphia  to 
morrow,  and  get  the  money  from  my  relatives 
there." 

Catharine  was  helping  her  to  remove  her  wet 
clothing  as  she  spoke,  and  as  soon  as  he  had 
received  his  message  Paul  went  to  deliver  it. 
Then  as  Madame  took  up  at  once  the  regular 
duties  of  her  household,  Catharine  also  lifted 
her  needle  and  resolutely  resolved  to  imitate 
her  mother's  noble  self-control. 

In  about  half  an  hour  she  heard  a  knock  at 
196 


Raising  the  Ransom 

the  door,  and,  pausing  a  moment  to  listen, 
was  aware  that  one  of  the  servants  went  to 
answer  it.  The  circumstance  was  an  ordinary 
one,  and  did  not  arouse  any  special  interest; 
but  when  Jane  ushered  into  her  presence  an  old 
woman  breathless  with  the  wind  and  dripping 
with  the  rain,  she  started  to  her  feet,  and  ex 
claimed  with  utter  amazement: 

"  Grandmother !     You  ! " 

"  Yes,  child.  My  cloak  and  my  wet  shoes 
take  off,  and  my  hood  it  is  soaked ;  shake  it. 
Your  mother  ?  Where  is  she  ?  " 

"  I  will  go  for  her." 

"  A  minute  wait.  Put  for  me  a  chair  near 
to  the  fire ;  and  then  I  will  have  a  cup  of 
hot  tea." 

As  Catharine  was  obeying  these  orders, 
Madame  Van  Clyffe  came  into  the  room. 
She  stood  speechless,  for  never  before  had 
her  mother-in-law  visited  her.  It  was  the 
older  woman  who  spoke  first.  She  stretched 
out  her  hand,  and  said : 
197 


Trinity  Bells 

"  Sarah,  the  same  trouble  have  we.  Sorry 
I  am  for  you  ! " 

Then  Madame  lost  all  her  fortitude.  She 
sat  down  by  Jan's  mother,  and  wept  like  a 
child.  She  kissed  the  strong,  withered  face, 
that  was  as  old-looking  as  a  crinkled  leaf  in 
December.  She  took  in  her  own  white  young 
hands,  the  aged  yellow  hands,  seamed  all  over 
with  blue  veins ;  and  stroked,  and  petted 
them,  with  an  unmistakable  affection.  She  be 
gan  to  speak  of  Jan's  goodness  and  his  love  for 
his  mother ;  and  when  Catharine  entered  with 
the  cup  of  hot  tea,  the  two  women  were  weep 
ing  together,  and  exchanging  confidences  about 
the  beloved  one,  who  was  in  such  a  terrible  con 
dition,  and  who  was  so  dear  to  both  of  them. 

Catharine  was  greatly  affected.  She  quietly 
set  down  the  little  tray,  and  was  going  out  of 
the  room,  when  her  grandmother  said : 

"  Katryntje  !  come  here.  Listen  to  me.  I 
have  put  this  morning  in  the  bank,  for  your 
father's  ransom,  ten  thousand  dollars.  Now, 
198 


Raising  the  Ransom 

then,  at  Trinity  Gates  you  will  not  need  to 
beg;  nor  to  the  Domine  you  will  not  need 
now  to  go.  Oh,  child,  child  ! "  and  then  she 
broke  down  again,  and  covered  her  face  with 
her  trembling  hands.  And  they  comforted 
and  blessed  her,  and  gave  her  the  warm  drink ; 
and  after  a  little  broken  conversation  she  fell 
asleep,  and  lay  like  one  dead,  for  more  than  an 
hour. 

When  she  awoke  she  had  quite  recovered 
her  strength.  She  insisted  on  going  to  her 
home ;  but  she  did  not  refuse  her  daughter- 
in-law's  assistance  through  the  wet  and  windy 
streets.  Nor  did  she  neglect  to  warn  her 
about  undue  haste : 

"  How  you  feel,  that  I  know,  Sarah,  "  she 
said.  *f  For  myself,  I  wish  that  I  had  wings 
like  the  bird  that  flies  eighty  miles  in  one  hour. 
But  with  Jan  is  my  heart  and  my  thoughts  ; 
and  sure  am  I  that  he  will  feel  some  new 
strength  and  hope.  Perhaps,  then,  God  will 
send  to  him  some  dream  full  of  comfort ;  for 
199 


Trinity  Bells 

into  my  heart  has  come  a  sure  and  certain 
belief  that  I  shall  see  again,  in  the  land  of 
the  living,  my  boy  Jan.  But  one  thing,  mind, 
Sarah :  the  money  in  the  right  way  must  go. 
In  a  bag  you  cannot  put  it,  and  then  send  a 
boy  like  Paul  with  that  bag  in  his  hand.  The 
right  way  must  be  found,  the  right  time,  and 
the  right  person." 

"  Dear  mother,  all  you  say  shall  be  done ; 
and  I  thank  —  " 

"  No  !  No  !  In  my  own  heart  is  the  wit 
ness  ;  "  and  then  all  the  way  to  her  house  she 
tried  to  impress  on  her  daughter-in-law  the 
necessity  for  some  official  protection  for  Paul 
and  the  ransom.  "  I  have  heard  of  that  scoun 
drel  Yusef!"  she  said  passionately.  "There 
is  no  measure  to  his  treachery  and  cruelty, 
Quite  capable  is  he  of  taking  the  gold,  and 
making  the  bearer  of  it  his  slave." 

"  I    have   thought   of  that,   mother.      Mr. 
Errington  told  me  this  morning  that  he  would 
devise  means  for  Paul's  protection.", 
200 


Raising  the  Ransom 

"The  Englishman  !     Can  you  trust  him  ?" 

"  He  is  to  be  trusted.  Of  that  I  am 
sure." 

In  the  evening  Mr.  Errington  visited  the 
unhappy  family.  He  was  delighted  at  the 
promptitude  they  had  manifested,  and  was 
quite  ready  to  second  it.  "  I  will  go  with  Paul 
to  Baltimore,"  he  said,  "  and  if  we  have  time, 
we  must  go  to  Washington,  and  get  letters 
which  may  be  powerful  aids  to  success.  I 
think,  too,  that  I  can  obtain  permission  for 
Paul  to  go  on  the  George  Washington,  with 
Captain  Bainbridge.  Some  sort  of  position 
may  be  found  there  for  him ;  he  would  then 
have  the  protection  of  a  United  States  man- 
of-war;  and  also  the  favorable  consideration 
from  Yusef  which  half  a  million  of  money 
may  have  upon  his  temper." 

"  Paul  can  leave  at  any  time,"  said  Madame 
Van  Clyffe. 

"  Say,  then,  in  two  days.  Madame,  you 
may  rely  on  me.  I  will  do  all  that  is  possible ; 
201 


Trinity  Bells 

and  I  will  see  Paul  safely  on  his  merciful  jour 
ney  before  I  return." 

Large  as  these  promises  were,  Mr.  Errington 
kept  them.  Paul  carried  an  urgent  and  power 
ful  letter  to  the  consul ;  and  one  which  in  case 
of  extremity,  might  be  given  to  the  piratical 
emperor  himself.  Many  details  not  necessary 
to  explain  were  to  attend  to ;  but  at  length, 
the  gold  for  Captain  Van  Clyffe's  ransom  was 
on  board  the  George  Washington;  her  sails 
were  set,  her  anchor  lifted;  and  Paul  on  board, 
hopefully  waving  an  adieu  to  the  stranger,  who 
had  served  him  so  nobly. 

In  the  meantime,  his  mother  and  sister  took 
up  their  daily  life  again,  with  what  heart  they 
were  able.  Eight  or  nine  weeks,  perhaps 
much  longer,  must  elapse  before  they  could 
hope  to  have  any  intelligence ;  and  at  first  it 
seemed  to  Catharine,  that  she  could  not,  could 
not,  bear  the  suspense.  Fortunately,  the  need 
for  work  was  greater  than  ever;  and  in  this 
need,  the  two  anxious  women  were  able  to  lose 
aoa 


Raising  the  Ransom 

that  distressing  sense  of  watching  and  listening, 
which  is  the  sting  of  fear  and  uncertain  anxiety. 
Every  hour  of  daylight  was  rilled  with  labor 
of  some  kind.  Catharine  taught  her  mother 
the  slight,  but  effective  embroidery,  by  which 
the  largest  amount  of  money  was  made ;  and 
very  soon  it  was  two  busy  needles  at  work  al 
most  from  morning  to  night. 

Besides  which,  Catharine  had  three  new 
music  scholars ;  though,  as  they  were  more 
advanced  than  her  cousins,  she  was  often 
obliged  to  herself  practice  the  lesson  she  was 
going  to  teach.  Just  at  dusk  one  day,  she  put 
down  her  embroidery,  and  began  to  go  over, 
very  softly,  a  sonata  of  Mozart's.  As  she  did 
so,  Mr.  Errington  entered  the  room,  walked 
to  her  side,  and  said:  "You  are  playing  that 
passage  incorrectly.  It  is  rapid  and  legato ; 
and  the  turn  is  on  E,  not  on  D.  Let  me 
show  you."  He  played  it  twice  or  thrice  over, 
and  Catharine,  burning  with  shame  and  anger, 
imitated  his  rendering.  But  when  she  told 
203 


Trinity  Bells 


her  mother  of  the  circumstance,  she  did  not 
get  the  sympathy  she  expected. 

"  Very  glad  you  ought  to  be,  Tryntje,  and 
not  cross,"  answered  Madame.  "  A  young 
girl  like  you  cannot  know  everything." 

"  To  be  sure ;  but  then,  he  was  not  asked  to 
teach  me." 

"  So  much  the  greater  his  kindness.  Mr. 
Errington  told  Paul,  he  would  do  everything 
he  could  to  help  us  while  we  are  alone  —  that 
was  one  thing  in  which  he  could  help,  and  he 
did  it.  It  was  a  trouble,  and  no  pleasure  to 
him." 

"  All  the  same,  I  am  not  sure  but  what  I 
played  the  passage  in  the  manner  most 
correct." 

"  I  do  not  think  so." 

"  And  I  hope  that  he  will  not  interfere  with 
my  music  again.  He  talked  to  me  as  if  I  was 
at  school.  I  am  not  a  child.  I  am  almost  a 
young  lady." 

"  Katryntje  !     You  make  me  astonished  at 
904 


Raising  the  Ransom 

you.  I  hope,  then,  he  will  tell  you  whenever 
you  arc  wrong.  It  is  very  good  of  him." 

This  was  precisely  what  Mr.  Errington  did. 
He  fell  into  the  habit  of  calling  upon  the  two 
ladies  once  every  day,  of  telling  them  any 
public  or  social  news  he  thought  might  interest 
them,  and  of  asking  Catharine  to  play  for  him. 
When  he  found  out  that  she  had  a  very  sweet 
and  sympathetic  voice  he  began  to  teach  her  to 
sing  many  charming  and  even  difficult  solos 
from  the  great  masters  of  melody.  In  fact,  he 
conceived  himself  to  have  a  certain  providential 
charge  over  these  desolate,  anxious  women,  and 
in  two  or  three  weeks  managed  to  become  that 
excellent  thing — a  familiar  friend,  who  knows 
just  how  far  friendship  is  convenient  and 
acceptable. 

A  kindly  notoriety  was  now  attached  to  the 
Van  Clyffes.  The  story  of  the  captain's  cap 
tivity  was  told  at  every  hearth,  and  many 
wealthy  and  important  people  took  a  great 
interest  in  his  release.  Indeed,  sympathy  on 
205 


Trinity  Bells 

every  hand  waited  for  them.  Catharine's  won 
derful  industry  and  cleverness  was  constantly 
praised ;  every  one  was  desirous  to  have  some 
thing  from  her  hands,  simply  because  every  one 
desired  to  help  her.  Her  refusal  to  taste  any 
luxury  or  to  participate  in  any  amusement, 
while  her  father's  fate  was  undecided,  in  some 
way  became  known,  and  mothers  and  fathers 
looked  kindly  into  her  young  face  wherever 
she  went.  Besides  which,  her  grandmother 
took  more  notice  of  her,  and  that  pleased 
Catharine  most  of  all. 

In  a  large  measure  Jacob  Van  Clyffe  com 
pelled  in  his  household  a  similar  condition  of 
seclusion.  "  Church  is  our  only  pleasure 
now,"  said  Gertrude  fretfully  one  morning  to 
Catharine.  "  The  Schuylers  have  a  dance  to 
morrow  night  —  a  family  dance  —  and  yet 
father  will  not  let  us  go.  We  may  not  skate, 
we  may  not  visit,  we  may  not  have  a  few 
friends  to  short-evening  with  us.  And  when  I 
complain,  he  says,  'You  have  the  pianoforte, 
206 


Raising  the  Ransom 

Many  times  you  said  it  was  all  the  pleasure 
you  wanted.'     Is  it  not  too  bad,  Catharine  ?  " 

"  What  can  I  say,  Gertrude  ?  The  thought 
of  pleasure-making  is  to  me  impossible."  She 
had  just  given  her  cousin  a  music  lesson,  and 
was  sitting  a  little  while  to  rest  before  return 
ing  home.  Her  face  was  sad ;  she  was  tired  ; 
she  had  grown  weary  of  counting  the  days  ;  the 
Bells  had  forgotten  her;  Mr.  Errington  had 
been  at  Mr.  Morris's  for  nearly  a  week ;  her 
mother's  anxiety,  through  all  her  attempted 
cheerfulness,  was  so  pitifully  evident,  and  she 
could  not  help  but  share  it, —  all  her  life  seemed 
to  be  held  in  a  painful  suspense.  And  the 
weather  was  so  gray  and  damp  and  chill,  and 
she  had  a  bad  headache.  Gertrude's  complain 
ing  was  the  last  straw,  for  it  had  a  tone 
of  personality  that  offended  her,  and  she 
continued : 

"  I   should    think  you  would    not  like   to 
dance,  or  to  be  seen  dancing,  Gertrude,  when 
the  family  is  in  such  trouble." 
207 


Trinity  Bells 


"  Oh,  indeed,  an  uncle  is  not  a  father,  and  I 
have  not  often  seen  Uncle  Jansen,  he  is  usu 
ally  away.  I  know  one  thing,  he  has  made 
for  us  all  a  very  bad  winter.  Grandmother 
says  —  " 

"  I  am  sure  she  says  nothing  like  what  you 
have  said,"  answered  Catharine  sharply. 

"And  to  think,"  said  Gertrude,  with  increas 
ing  ill  temper,  "to  think  of  all  the  money  she 
has  had  to  give  to  those  dreadful  creatures ! " 

"  I  do  not  think  that  one  dollar  of  her 
money  will  be  used,"  said  Catharine  with  a 
flushing  face.  "  I  hope  not." 

"  I  also  hope  not,"  continued  Gertrude. 
"  Out  of  our  pocket  it  will  really  come." 

"  I  think  it  will  not  come  out  of  your  pocket ; 
but  if  so,  that  is  far  better  than  that  my  father 
should  be  a  slave.  Mr.  Errington  says  six 
thousand  dollars  may  be  sufficient.  My 
mother  sent  six  thousand,  and  besides  that 
Paul  has  with  him  mother's  pearl  necklace  and 
her  ruby  brooch  and  ring." 
208 


Raising  the  Ransom 

"  What  a  shame  !  Such  lovely  jewels !  I 
remember  Aunt  Sarah  wearing  them  to  a  great 
dinner  at  Richmond  Hill.  And  of  course 
they  would  come  to  you.  How  could 
you  let  them  go  ?  There  was  money  enough 
without  them." 

"  What  are  a  few  pearls  to  my  father's 
liberty  ?  I  would  fling  them  into  the  river 
only  to  see  him  for  one  five  minutes." 

"  Such  words  are  nonsense." 

"  No.     They  are  the  truth." 

"  Six  thousand  dollars  and  the  pearls  and 
rubies !  Certainly  that  ought  to  be  enough 
without  any  of  grandmother's  money." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  it  will  be  enough." 

"  I  don't  think  we  need  care  whether  it  is 
enough  or  not,"  said  Alida.  "If  grand 
mother  likes  to  give  her  money  to  save  Uncle 
Jan,  it  is  nothing  to  us.  She  never  gives  us 
any  money." 

"  But  she  will  leave  it  to  us  when  she  dies," 
answered  Gertrude.  "  For  my  part,  I  think 
H  209 


Trinity  Bells 


she  never  will  die.  She  is  seventy  now, 
and  —  " 

"  Well,  then  !  "  said  Catharine  in  a  passion, 
"  you  ought  to  die  before  her.  If  you  did, 
who  could  be  sorry  ?  You  have  always  the 
thought  of  grandmother's  death  in  your 
greedy  heart.  I  am  ashamed  of  you  ! " 

"  I  will  never  take  another  music  lesson 
from  you  —  Miss  Van  Clyffe." 

"  I  am  ashamed  of  you,  and  I  do  not  wish 
to  give  you  another  music  lesson." 

"Please  don't  quarrel,  Catharine,"  said 
Alida. 

"  Oh,  indeed  !  "  answered  Catharine,  "  it  is 
time  to  quarrel  with  Gertrude  on  this  subject. 
Grandmother,  when  our  great  need  came  for 
her  love,  was  as  tender  and  generous  as  the 
good  God  makes  mothers ;  and  I  would  not 
deserve  my  own  sweet  mother  if  I  listened 
patiently  any  longer  to  Gertrude's  constant 
wishes  for  our  grandmother's  money  —  for  it 
is  all  the  same  as  wishing  for  her  death." 

210 


Raising  the  Ransom 

"Well,  then,"  said  Gertrude  in  a  violent 
passion,  "  I  do  wish  she  was  dead.  I  wish 
that  I  had  that  old  leather  bag  in  which  she 
keeps  her  guineas.  And  I  will  wish  she  was 
dead  just  as  often,  and  just  as  much  as  I  want 
to,  without  caring  whether  Catharine  Van 
Clyffe  likes  it  or  does  not  like  it." 

"  Gertrude  !  Gertrude  !  "  said  Alida.  "  I 
would  not  say  such  things." 

"You  have  said  them  yourself,  miss.  Often 
you  have  said  them." 

"  I  am  going  home,"  said  Catharine,  rising 
hastily  to  her  feet,  "  and  what  is  more,  here  I 
will  never  come  again." 

The  room  in  which  they  were  sitting  was 
the  big  house-place,  and  as  it  opened  directly 
on  the  garden,  there  was  in  winter  time  a 
large  oaken  screen  extending  half  the  way 
through  the  room  and  forming  a  sort  of  hall 
or  passage.  The  side  of  this  screen  facing  the 
room  was  panelled,  and  slightly  carved ;  the 
other  side  was  fitted  with  hooks  for  hats  and 

211 


Trinity  Bells 

cloaks.  There  Catharine's  hood  and  cloak 
were  hanging  and  she  rose  to  get  them ;  but 
ere  she  reached  the  end  of  the  temporary 
partition  her  grandmother  came  from  behind 
it. 

She  pushed  Catharine  gently  aside  and  stood 
facing  Gertrude  with  such  grief  and  anger  on 
her  aged  face  as  no  words  can  translate.  There 
was  no  necessity  for  her  to  say  a  word.  Ger 
trude  burst  into  a  storm  of  tears  and  cries, 
averring  that  she  did  not  mean  a  single  word 
of  what  she  had  said ;  and  that  she  had  only 
said  them  to  tease  and  anger  her  cousin  Cath 
arine.  She  attempted  to  take  her  grand 
mother's  hand,  to  kiss  her,  to  plead  with  her, 
but  the  wounded  old  woman  would  not  listen 
to  her  or  answer  her  in  any  way. 

She  turned  to  Catharine  and  told  her  to  put 
on  her  cloak  and  hood,  and  she  would  take 
her  back  to  town,  and  she  ordered  Alida  to 
tell  her  father  exactly  what  had  occurred. 
Then  Gertrude  fled  to  her  room,  crying,  and 


Gertrude  burst  into  a  storm  of  tears  " 


Raising  the  Ransom 

bemoaning  her  fate,  and  wishing  that  Catharine 
had  never  come  into  their  house.  For  she 
was  angry  at  every  one  but  herself.  "  Catha 
rine  had  been  sitting  ci^se  to  the  screen ;  she 
had  heard  the  door  open  and  guessed  who  was 
coming,  and  of  course  that  was  the  reason  she 
had  <  stood  up '  for  grandmother.  It  was  just 
like  Catharine's  double  ways."  These,  and 
many  other  accusations  quite  as  unjust,  she 
reiterated  with  ever  increasing  passion.  Alida, 
even,  was  not  exempt  from  her  angry  sus 
picions. 

" Ton  heard  grandmother  come  in;  I  am 
sure  you  did,"  she  said  to  her  sister. 

"  I  did  not,  Gertrude." 

"Yes,  you  did.  And  that  was  the  reason 
you  told  me  c  not  to  say  such  things.'  You 
have  said  them  yourself  often." 

"  I  have  not." 

"You  have.  You  and  Catharine  are  two 
deceitful  creatures!  You,  both  of  you,  heard 
grandmother ;  and  you  might  have  warned  me, 
213 


Trinity  Bells 

Alida.  Only  like  a  sister  it  would  have  been. 
As  for  Catharine,  never  do  I  wish  to  see  her 
again.  Very  tired  am  I  of  all  the  fuss  made 
about  her  goodness  and  her  cleverness.  I 
would  have  done  just  the  same  things,  if  in  her 
place  I  had  been.  No  better  than  any  one  else 
is  she.  The  way  the  Goverts,  and  Hoaglands, 
and  Evertsens,  and  even  the  Domine,  go  on 
about  her  is  shameful.  I,  for  one,  am  not 
going  down  on  my  knees  before  Miss  Catharine 
Van  ClyfFe's  virtue !  Oh,  dear,  what  will 
father  say  to  me  !  He  also  will  be  against 
poor  Gertrude  !" 

"  Gertrude,  I  am  not  against  you." 
"  Every  one,  and  everything,  is  against  me. 
Not  one  shilling  now  will  grandmother  leave 
me  —  well,  then,  I  don't  care  !  " 

"We  shall  always  share  together,  Gertrude, 
in  every  way." 

"  Alida,  what  will  you  say  to  father  ?  " 
"  The  truth  I  must  tell  him  —  there  is  no 
other  thing  to  do." 


Raising  the  Ransom 

"  I  know  that.  But  I  hope  that  you  will 
also  say  that  Catharine  provoked  me  very 
much.  You  will  take  my  part,  Alida,  my  dear 
sister  ? " 

"  Always  I  shall  stand  by  you,  Gertrude. 
I  suppose  now  there  will  be  no  more  music 
lessons,  and  for  that  I  am  sorry." 

"  Other  teachers  can  be  got  very  easily. 
And  you  might  tell  father  that  since  Catha 
rine  had  Margaret  Freer  and  Jane  and  Anna 
Rysdick  to  teach,  she  has  not  cared  about  our 
lessons  at  all ;  and  that  I  was  angry  about  this. 
Remember  how  stupid  she  was  this  morn 
ing.  Once  she  was  so  good-tempered  and 
merry  —  " 

"  But  she  had  a  headache  this  morning,  and 
she  is  so  anxious  and  sorrowful." 

"  Well,  then,  is  that  our  business  ?  Very 
pleasant  are  we  to  her.  It  is,  however,  things 
like  this  you  must  tell  father  and  grandmother  ; 
and  also  say  to  them  both,  f  You  know  what  a 
quick  temper  our  little  Gertrude  has,  and  that 
215 


Trinity  Bells 

she  means  nothing  at  all  by  her  bad  words.' 
Surely,  Alida,  you  will  stand  up  for  me  ?  " 

"  You  know  well  that  I  shall  do  and  say 
all  that  is  possible  for  you,  Gertrude." 

"  I  dare  say  at  this  very  minute  Catha 
rine  is  petting  our  grandmother  and  telling 
her  all  sorts  of  things  against  both  of  us  — 
our  father  ought  to  be  told  that  also  —  and 
grandmother  will  now  be  talking  to  Catharine, 
and  asking  her  questions  about  us  —  and  you 
may  guess  what  that  double-faced  creature  will 
say  to  her." 

In  this  respect  Gertrude  was  very  far 
wrong.  The  grandmother  did  not  say  one 
word  to  Catharine  all  the  way  back  to  the  city. 
When  she  put  her  down  at  a  point  not  very 
far  from  her  home,  she  asked,  but  with  evident 
effort,  if  Catharine's  mother  was  quite  well,  and 
to  the  girl's  answer,  her  expression  of f  thanks ' 
and  her  c  good-bye '  she  made  no  response, 
except  a  slight  nod,  and  the  faintest  flicker  of  a 
smile. 

ai6 


Raising  the  Ransom 

Catharine  had  even  a  feeling  that  her  grand 
mother  was  glad  to  be  relieved  from  her  com 
pany;  and  she  said  to  herself,  as  she  threaded 
the  wet,  crowded  streets,  "  Grandmother  was 
only  kind  to  me  in  order  to  punish  Gertrude 
and  Alida."  It  was  indeed  one  of  those  days, 
in  which  life  is  apt  to  show  us  only  the  wrong, 
or  seamy,  side  of  all  events  ;  and  this  incident 
weighed  on  Catharine's  heart  very  heavily. 
She  feared  her  Uncle  Jacob  would  be  made  to 
throw  the  blame  on  her  —  that  she  would 
lose  both  his  love  and  her  pupils  —  that  in 
some  way  or  other  she  would  be  made  to  feel, 
even  by  her  grandmother,  that  she  had  been  the 
bringer-forth  of  unhappiness.  As  she  walked 
drearily  forward,  life  was  at  its  lowest  point ; 
and  she  wondered  if  any  other  girl  in  all 
New  York  was  so  miserable,  and  so  hopeless. 
As  she  neared  her  home,  the  Bells  chimed  the 
noon  hour,  but  though  she  listened  with  her 
soul  in  her  ears,  they  said  nothing  to  her.  It 
was  just  another  disappointment. 
217 


Trinity  Bells 


When  she  came  close  to  Trinity  gates,  she 
saw  they  were  partially  open,  and  the  church 
door  ajar ;  and  a  sudden  overwhelming  desire 
to  enter  the  holy  place  took  possession  of  her. 
There  was  apparently  no  one  in  the  church  ; 
but  a  brush  and  a  duster,  lying  in  the  vestibule, 
gave  her  the  key  to  the  conditions  ;  and  she 
said  to  herself: 

"  Some  one  has  been  dusting  the  pews,  and 
when  twelve  chimed  they  have  gone  to  their 
dinner.  Very  well,  then,  I  shall  have  one  hour 
alone." 

She  walked  reverently  forward,  and  soon 
came  to  a  high,  square  pew.  It  was  canopied 
and  curtained  and  richly  ornamented  ;  but  she 
regarded  only  its  deep  seclusion.  It  was  easy 
to  enter,  and  she  closed  the  door  again,  and  sat 
down  on  one  of  the  soft,  velvet  footstools.  In 
a  few  minutes  she  was  sensitive  to  that  singular, 
supernatural  peace  which  pervades  places  in 
which  men  are  accustomed  to  pray.  The  fret 
of  life  was  outside  ;  it  was  far  away  from  her  — 
218 


Raising  the  Ransom 

she  was  in  a  sanctuary,  and  she  felt  as  if  she 
was  in  the  presence  of  a  great,  calm  friend. 
No  one  was  near  but  God  and  her  Angel. 
And  suddenly  there  came  to  her  mind  a  pas 
sage  in  her  Imitation,  against  which  her 
mother  had  put  a  mark ;  and  though  she  had 
not  consciously  learned  the  words,  they  now 
came  to  her  remembrance,  one  by  one,  like 
drops  of  comfort ;  and  she  slipped  down  to  her 
knees,  and  let  them  taste  on  her  lips  like 
honeycomb : 

"  When  I  desired  to  speak  to  my  Beloved,  He 
Himself  met  me  most  joyfully.  Behold  I  am  here, 
He  said  j  tell  me  now  what  new  thing  has  happened." 

A  KEMPIS. 

And  she  told  everything  —  all  her  anxiety 
about  her  father  and  mother  and  brother ; 
her  weariness,  her  depression  ;  her  longing  for 
some  happiness  ;  her  distress  in  that  morning's 
quarrel.  And  as  she  prayed  thus,  a  feeling  of 
tender,  vague  mystery,  bringing  distinctly  the 
sense  of  God's  presence,  encompassed  her. 
219 


Trinity  Bells 

She  was  no  longer  afraid ;  she  was  no  longer 
unhappy.  All  the  shadows  were  gone.  She 
had  been  comforted  in  a  way  exceeding  all 
reasoning  whatever,  and  penetrated  with  an 
unutterably  sweet  sensation  of  God's  love  and 
care  for  her. 

Fearing  to  break  this  heavenly  sense  of  hap 
piness,  she  sat  very  still,  her  face  calm  and 
shining,  her  eyes  soft,  deep,  full  of  holy  peace. 
Soon  an  irresistible  languor  soothed  and  pos 
sessed  all  her  faculties,  the  carpet  was  warm 
and  thick,  the  cushion-like  hassocks  soft  as 
pillows.  Almost  unconsciously  she  fell  into  a 
sleep,  dreamless,  profound,  full  of  rest  from 
head  to  feet  —  such  sleep  as  "  He  giveth  His 
beloved." 

For  more  than  two  hours  she  slept ;  then  in 
a  moment  she  was  wide  awake.  Some  one 
was  playing  the  organ  very  softly,  and  a 
young  priest  was  silently  praying  at  the  altar. 
With  a  song  of  joy  in  her  heart,  fearing,  doubt 
ing,  sorrow  all  fled  away  —  she  passed  quietly 
220 


Raising  the  Ransom 

out  of  the  sanctuary,  in  which  she  had  found 
such  comfort.  And  just  as  she  reached  the 
church  gates  the  Bells  began  to  chime.  She 
listened,  and  the  happiest  light  spread  from  her 
lips  to  her  eyes,  and  transfigured  her  whole  face, 
for  this  was  what  they  said  to  her : 

"&^ 1       ,       |   |   p       |       , 

— ! — z2=— F — ^ 1 — ^ 


\^ 

Nothing  to    fear,  Ka  -  trynt-  je!  Nothing  to       fear! 

Lightly  as  a  fawn  she  stepped  across  the 
muddy  street.  Her  mother  had  been  expect 
ing  her  for  some  hours,  and  she  looked  up 
from  her  work  at  the  delayed  girl  with  a 
serious  inquiry.  But  when  she  saw  the  radi 
ance,  the  peace,  the  happiness  in  Catharine's 
countenance  she  held  back  the  words  of 
reproof  that  seemed  deserving,  and  asked 
"  What  is  it,  Katryntje  ?  " 

"  I  have  had  a  message,  mother,"  she  said. 
lc  The  Bells  have  spoken  at  last,"  and  she  sat 
down  by  her  mother's  side,  and  softly  told  her 
what  she  had  already  told  God.  And  Madame, 

221 


Trinity  Bells 

who  had  a  heart  simple  and  trustful  as  a  child's, 
was  equally  comforted,  and  the  words  of  re 
proof  that  had  been  on  her  lips  were  turned 
into  words  of  hope  and  affection.  The  quarrel 
at  Uncle  Jacob's  was  indeed  a  very  disquieting 
circumstance  ;  but  Catharine  thought  she  ought 
"  to  let  it  alone,"  and  her  mother  soon  came  to 
the  same  conclusion.  "  In  a  muddy  stream, 
there  is  no  use  in  stirring ;  we  will  let  it  settle," 
she  said ;  "  for  whatever  move  we  make,  it  may 
be  wrong." 

The  wisdom  of  this  course  was  evidenced 
by  facts.  In  about  a  week,  Alida  called  to 
ask  Catharine  to  continue  their  lessons.  She 
said  Gertrude  had  gone  to  her  grandmother, 
and  come  back  forgiven ;  but  it  was  not  to  be 
hidden  that  the  family  inquisition  had  been  a 
very  severe  one,  and  that  the  intervening  week 
had  been  full  to  the  brim  of  penitence  and 
penalties.  Nor  was  the  domestic  atmosphere 
yet  settled  after  the  storm.  Gertrude  was 
sullen  and  gloomy,  Alida  only  half  as  pleasant, 

222 


Raising  the  Ransom 

and  as  for  Uncle  Jacob  and  the  grandmother, 
neither  of  them  made  any  sign  to  Catharine. 
She  could  not  tell  whether  they  were  angry 
at  her  or  not ;  but  she  thought  of  what  her 
uncle  had  once  said  to  Paul,  about  the  leafless 
trees  and  frozen  streams  —  "  they  don't  com 
plain,  they  wait."  And  she  resolved  to  make 
neither  inquiry  nor  complaint,  but  simply 
wait. 

In  other  respects  life  was  brighter,  and  she 
did  not  try  to  reason  away  the  comfort  of  the 
Bells.  She  kept  their  assurance  like  a  song  in 
her  heart.  When  she  awakened  in  the  morn 
ing,  she  said  to  herself,  "  Nothing  to  fear, 
Katryntje !  Nothing  to  fear,"  and  all  day 
long,  if  a  cowardly  doubt  disturbed  her  peace, 
she  answered  it  with,  "  Nothing  to  fear, 
Katryntje  !  Nothing  to  fear !  " 

So  the  days  went  and  came,  and  were  full  of 
work  and  hope  and  sympathy.  Acquaint 
ances  began  to  say,  "  You  ought  to  hear  some 
thing  good  soon,  Madame  Van  ClyfFe,"  and 
223 


Trinity  Bells 

her  mother  always  answered,  "Yes,  then,  that 
is  what  we  are  expecting."  One  morning  Mr. 
Errington  came  into  the  parlor  to  ask  Madame 
Van  Clyffe  if  she  would  permit  him  to  make 
a  picture  of  a  Dutch  interior  from  her  best 
kitchen.  And  as  Madame  was  pleased  at  the 
proposal,  they  stood  talking  about  the  arrange 
ment  of  certain  old  oak  presses  and  cupboards, 
and  the  furniture  of  the  room  —  especially  of 
the  big  fireplace.  Catharine  went  on  with  her 
embroidery  listening  the  while,  and  sometimes 
offering  a  suggestion,  but  really  more  in 
terested  in  her  work  and  in  her  own  thoughts 
than  in  the  "  Dutch  Interior." 

In  the  midst  of  this  quiet  discussion  the 
parlor  door  was  abruptly  flung  wide  open,  and  a 
little  figure  in  a  light  blue  hood,  and  a  quantity 
of  pale  brown  hair  on  her  shoulders,  ran  im 
petuously  forward  to  Catharine,  exclaiming,  in 
almost  hysterical  crescendo, "  My  dear  Delight ! 
My  dear  Delight ! !  My  dear  Delight ! !  !  " 

It  was,  of  course,  Elsie  Evertsen.  No  one 
224 


Raising  the  Ransom 

but  Elsie  would  have  so  charmingly  violated 
all  sensible,  conventional  rules  and  forms  of 
"  Glad  to  see  you."  Madame  and  Mr.  Erring- 
ton  looked  at  her  with  pleasant  smiles.  They 
ceased  their  conversation  to  watch  her,  for 
indeed,  in  her  blue  hood,  and  blue  cloak,  her 
short  dress,  and  buckled  shoes,  her  child-like 
beauty  and  fairy  figure,  she  was  a  very  at 
tractive  picture.  In  a  minute  or  two  she 
turned  to  Madame  and  said  "  Good  morning, 
my  dear  Delight's  mother  !  Forgive,  that  I 
did  not  speak  to  you  the  first."  Then  looking 
critically  for  a  moment  at  Mr.  Errington : 
"You  are  Paul,  I  suppose,"  adding,  in  a  tone 
of  disapproval,  "  I  did  not  think  you  were  so 
big." 

"  I  am  not  Paul,"  answered  Mr.  Erring' 
ton,  laughing.  And  then  Catharine  intro 
duced  Elsie  to  their  friend.  She  made  him 
an  exceedingly  pretty  curtsy,  and  then  turned 
away  with  her  "  dear  companion."  They 
were  very  quickly  left  alone,  and  then  Catha- 


Trinity  Bells 


rine  lifted  her  work,  and  their  confidences 
began.  Without  a  word  Elsie  took  up  Ma 
dame  Van  Clyffe's  embroidery,  and  continued 
it  with  a  dainty  rapidity  not  even  Catharine 
could  exceed. 

"  You  see,  Delight,"  she  said,  "  I  have 
heard  all  about  your  great  trouble  and  your 
great  goodness  ;  and  I  also  wish  to  be  good. 
It  is  a  very  unreasonable  thing  that  you 
should  have  so  much  credit.  I  intend  to 
come  here  every  day  and  sew;  and  then  at 
night  I  shall  say,  with  a  face  quite  serious,  '  I 
have  been  helping  poor  Catharine  Van  Clyffe. 
I  think  it  is  my  duty.'  People  will  then  ap 
prove  of  me." 

"  But  how  did  you  get  away  from  school  ? 
And  can  you  remain  ?  " 

"  There  are  ways  and  means  for  everything. 
My  brother  Joris  has  been  sick;  and  he  said 
to  my  father,  f  If  I  can  see  Elsie,  I  shall  get 
better.'  And  my  father  sent  for  me,  and  I 
came  in  a  great  hurry." 
226 


Raising  the  Ransom 

"  How,  then,  is  your  brother  ?  " 
"  Joris  is  now  nearly  well  —  but  I  am  not 
going  back  to  lovely  Bethlehem.  Oh  no !  I 
have  examined  myself,  and  I  have  said  to  my 
self:  '  Elsie  Evertsen,  you  have  as  many  ac 
complishments  as  are  good  for  you.  More 
learning  will  make  you  vain  and  disagreeable.' 
I  do  not  wish  to  be  vain  and  disagreeable,  so 
I  am  not  going  to  learn  any  more." 

"  But  what  will  your  father  and  mother  say  ?* 
"My  father  and  mother  have  fears  lest 
Joris  should  go  into  a  decline.  I  have  asked 
Joris  to  declare  he  cannot  keep  well  without 
me ;  and  father  and  mother  are  extremely 
sensible ;  they  always  call  the  way  of  Joris 
their  own  way." 

"  Will  Joris  do  what  you  ask  him  to  do  ?  " 

"  Boys    are    queer  —  very    queer,    Delight. 

But  I  shall  assure  my  brother,  that  I  cannot 

be  happy  away   from  him  —  that  also  is  the 

truth,    and  that  will  please  him,  and  he  will 

say  to  father  and  mother,  '  Do  not  send  Elsie 

227 


Trinity  Bells 

from  home,  I  cannot  bear  it.'  If  he  should 
be  in  a  stubborn,  unpleasant  temper,  I  shall 
cry.  Joris  will  not  endure  me  to  cry  —  not 
for  one  minute.  He  will  say  '  There,  now ! 
Stop,  you  little  baby ! '  Then  he  will  do  all 
I  desire.  Boys  are  easily  managed,  one  way 
or  the  other.  I  am  sorry  Paul  is  not  here. 
I  have  thought  of  Paul  like  another  brother. 
A  girl  can  do  with  so  many  brothers,  and  I 
have  only  one.  Who  was  the  gentleman  in 
the  room  ? " 

"An  Englishman,  who  lodges  with  us. 
He  has  been  a  great  friend." 

"  An  Englishman !  I  am  extremely  sorry  I 
made  him  a  curtsy.  It  is  against  my  princi 
ples,  to  curtsy  to  Englishmen.  Is  he  nice  ?  " 

"  When  you  know  him.  I  did  not  like 
him  at  first.  He  treats  you  as  if  you  knew 
nothing  at  all.  I  had  to  remind  him  often, 
that  I  had  been  to  school,  whether  he  believed 
it  or  not.  However,  he  has  helped  me  with 
my  music  —  and  he  paints  beautiful  pictures." 
228 


Raising  the  Ransom 

«  Does  he  dance  ? " 

"He  goes  to  balls ;  I  suppose,  then,  he 
dances." 

"  Does  he  skate  ?  " 

"  No.     He  says  he  never  wished  to  skate." 

"  Well,  then,  how  can  he  be  nice  ?  " 

A  person  who  did  not  "skate"  was  uninter 
esting  to  Elsie ;  and  she  turned  the  conversa 
tion  instantly  to  the  school,  and  the  events 
and  changes  that  had  happened  since  Catha 
rine's  farewell  to  it.  In  this  way  the  morning 
and  afternoon  went  like  a  pleacant  dream ; 
and  at  four  o'clock  Elsie's  little  fingers  had 
accomplished  more  than  a  sufficiency  of 
beautiful  work  to  fully  entitle  her  to  say  "  I 
have  been  helping  poor  Catharine  Van  Clyffe. 
I  think  it  is  my  duty." 

Elsie  did  not  go  oack  to  school ;  so  it  was 
evident  that  Joris  —  though  he  declared  him 
self  devoted  to  the  truth  —  had  been  managed 
by  his  "little  baby"  of  a  sister.  Indeed, 
Elder  Evertsen  was  heard  to  say,  with  some 
229 


Trinity  Bells 

domestic  pride,  "  his  boy  and  girl  were  so  fond 
of  each  other  that  they  could  not  be  in  good 
health  apart." 

And  Catharine  was  glad  of  Elsie's  company. 
She  had  a  true,  tender  heart  below  all  her  af 
fectations  ;  and  if  she  was  not  very  intelligent, 
she  was  certainly  a  very  great  favorite.  Mr. 
Errington  was  delighted  with  her  childish, 
meddling,  saucy  imperiousness ;  and  he  in 
duced  her  to  obtain  her  parents'  consent  to 
sit  at  Catharine's  spinning-wheel,  and  become, 
in  this  character,  a  part  of  his  great  picture  — 
"A  Dutch  Interior."  For  the  sittings  she 
wore  the  quaintest  of  Dutch  costumes ;  and 
her  pretty  airs,  and  quarrels  with  Mr.  Erring- 
ton,  and  her  criticisms  of  his  work,  made 
many  a  hearty  laugh,  and  passed  happily 
many  a  gloomy  day. 

Elsie  was  all  the  more  desirable,  because 
Gertrude  and  Alida  did  not  recover  their  old 
friendship.  The  lessons  were  continued,  be 
cause  Uncle  Jacob  wished  them  to  be  con- 
230 


Raising  the  Ransom 

tinued ;  but  the  girls  were  both  of  them  shy 
and  cold,  visiting  on  Catharine  the  conse 
quences  of  their  own  fault.  Elsie's  quick  wit 
divined  the  situation.  She  understood  with 
out  a  word  the  jealousy  of  the  sisters  ;  and 
their  envy  of  Catharine's  many  friends  and 
great  popularity.  It  gave  her,  therefore,  great 
pleasure  to  walk  part  of  the  way  home  with 
Gertrude,  or  Alida,  and  make  such  remarks  as 
the  following : 

"I  wish  that  Catharine  was  my  cousin. 
Another  girl  so  good,  so  clever,  so  beautiful, 
you  cannot  find  in  New  York." 

"  Do  you  indeed  think  her  beautiful  ?  " 
asked  Gertrude. 

"  Well,  then,"  answered  Elsie,  "  we  are  all 
of  us  dowdy  girls  when  we  stand  beside  her. 
Her  face  is  perfect !  and  her  figure  !  and  as  for 
her  voice,  it  is  wonderful !  " 

"  Indeed,"  said  Gertrude,  "my  voice  is  much 
stronger.  I  have  been  asked  to  sing  in  the 
choir." 

231 


Trinity  Bells 

"Of  the  Dutch  church!  Perhaps,  indeed, 
your  voice,  or  my  voice,  might  do  for  the 
choir  —  but  if  you  have  once  heard  Catharine 
sing  Where  the  Bee  Sucks  then  you  do  not 
want  to  sing  yourself,  any  more." 

And  neither  Gertrude  nor  Alida  cared  to 
contradict  Elsie  very  far.  In  the  first  place, 
her  father  was  rich ;  and  Elsie  was  a  desirable 
acquaintance.  They  liked  to  boast  to  other 
girls  of  knowing  her;  they  were  distinctly 
proud  of  visiting  4t  her  house  ;  and,  in  the 
second  place,  any  dissent  implied  a  certain 
jealousy  and  envy  they  did  not  like  to  ac 
knowledge.  And  it  is  always  some  gain  to 
keep  envy  and  jealousy  silent ;  far  better  they 
should  torment  those  who  encourage  them 
than  make  miserable  the  innocent. 

With  this  new  element  infused  into  their 
quiet,  busy  days,  Madame  Van  Clyffe  and 
Catharine  bore  with  bravery,  and  even  cheer 
fulness,  the  slow  wearing  away  of  weeks  into 
months.  Her  music,  her  teaching,  her  em- 
232 


Raising  the  Ransom 

broidery,  and  Elsie's  companionship  left  little 
space  for  fretting.  Nor  was  Catharine  inclined 
to  fret.  Her  nature  was,  like  all  fine  natures, 
distinctly  hopeful ;  and  if,  after  some  specially 
stormy  day,  or  specially  unhappy  visit  from 
her  relatives,  she  was  disposed  to  doubt,  or  to 
think  of  her  father's  or  Paul's  return  with 
uncertainty,  the  next  chime  put  music  in  her 
heart  again.  For  ever  after  that  day  when  she 
found  in  President  Washington's  pew  in  Trin 
ity  church  a  little  sanctuary,  the  bells  had 
chimed  one  song  to  her  : 


Nothing    to      fear,   Ka  -  trynt  -  je  I  Nothing  to      fear  I 


VII 

All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 


235 


D 


CHAPTER   VII 

ALL    IS    WELL,    KATRYNTJE  ! 

URING  this  interval  Paul  had  reached 


Algiers  safely.  The  voyage  there  had 
been  somewhat  delayed  by  adverse  winds,  and 
by  no  wind  at  all;  but  one  day,  after  five  weeks' 
sailing,  the  George  Washington  cast  anchor  with 
in  the  mole  of  Algiers.  The  next  day  the 
gold  for  the  barbarian  monarch  was  carried  to 
his  palace  by  American  seamen  —  the  officers 
and  the  American  consul,  with  a  body  of 
sailors,  making  a  guard  for  it.  Cannon  from 
the  ship  announced  its  approach  ;  cannon  from 
the  Dey's  forts  thundered  out  a  welcome  for 
it.  But  it  was  a  most  humiliating  embassy  for 
American  naval  officers ;  and  it  was  no  easy 
matter  for  them  to  observe  the  necessary  for 
malities.  Far  more  cheerfully  they  would 


Trinity  Bells 

have  bombarded  the   Dey's  palace,  than  en 
tered  it  as  envoys  or  guests. 

Paul  had  previously  been  well  instructed 
by  the  consul  as  to  his  wisest  course;  and 
in  pursuance  of  this  advice  he  went  with 
the  procession  bearing  the  Dey's  present. 
And  he  could  not  help  feeling  as  if  he  was 
taking  a  part  in  some  Arabian  Nights'  dream. 
So  remote  all  seemed  from  American  life, 
from  the  very  century  in  which  he  was 
living.  Even  the  unchangeable  sea  was 
strangely  unreal  in  this  African  harbor.  For 
it  was  crowded  with  black  war-vessels,  with 
Moorish  xebecs,  with  strange  barques  of  all 

kinds,  and  sails  of  every  fantastic  shape  and 
color. 

And  how  different  from  Broadway  or  the 
Battery  were  the  narrow,  dark  streets  where 
the  eaves  met,  and  he  walked  between  dead 
walls.  Yet  through  these  sandy,  up-hill  lanes, 
what  a  wildly  romantic  population  poured  !  — 
Bedouins,  on  fleet  Arabian  horses,  —  civilians, 
238 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

all  in  white,  dragging  their  slippered  feet 
through  the  dust,  with  majestic  unconcern,  — 
sea  robbers  armed  to  the  teeth,  —  Jews,  in  a 
costume  the  very  counterpart  of  that  worn  by 
Isaac  and  Jacob,  —  date  and  sherbet  sellers, — 
sheiks,  mollahs,  dervishes,  negroes,  —  mer 
chants  in  dusk,  unwindowed  stalls,  sitting 
cross-legged,  smoking,  upon  bales  of  drugs, 
perfumed  leather,  and  fragrant  tobacco,  —  mu 
sicians,  filling  the  blue  quivering  air  with  the 
shrill  laments  of  Arab  pipes,  and  little  African 
tam-tams,  and  iron  castanets,  —  and  over  every 
thing  the  intense  whitewash,  lying  like  a 
shroud.  The  atmosphere  of  the  place  was 
just  as  foreign  and  strange  and  fabulous  ;  for 
the  homelike  odor  of  salt-water,  pitch,  and 
tar  was  powerfully  blended  with  a  multitude 
of  unusual  scents,  —  caporal  tobacco,  attar  of 
roses,  haschisch,  melons,  musk,  the  peculiar 
perfume  of  Morocco  leather,  Arabian  drugs, 
spikenard,  the  animal  smell  of  camels,  and  of 
all  the  wild  life  of  the  desert. 


Trinity  Bells 

It  was  through  these  old,  old-world  sights 
and  sounds  and  smells,  the  Americans  slowly 
proceeded  to  the  palace  of  the  Dey —  the  in 
tolerably  offensive,  cruel  Yusef.  They  found 
him  surrounded  by  negroes  of  immense  size, 
black  as  ebony,  very  barely  clothed  in  scarlet, 
with  gold  bands  round  their  arms  and  legs  ; 
and  great  gold  hoops  in  their  ears ;  and  by 
Mohammedan  viziers  in  snow-white  veils  and 
burnouses.  In  his  hand  he  held  the  large, 
heavily-jewelled  fan,  with  which  he  had,  more 
than  once,  struck  consuls  of  the  European 
courts,  who  had  not  done  him  sufficient  hom 
age  ;  and  over  his  head  was  a  scarlet  umbrella 
of  such  antique  form  as  may  have  sheltered 
the  Queen  of  Sheba. 

He  received  the  American  embassy  with 
marked  indifference ;  and  there  was  on  his 
handsome  face  a  repulsive  and  unspeakably 
scoffing  expression.  With  apparent  uncon 
cern  he  waved  the  coin  aside ;  but  conde 
scended  to  say  that  "he  would  extend  his 
240 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

protection  over  American  ships  of  commerce." 
Then  at  a  motion  from  the  American  consul, 
Paul  stepped  forward.  He  took  from  their 
satin-lined  cases  his  mother's  string  of  pearls, 
and  her  ruby  brooch  and  ring,  and  laid  them 
at  the  despot's  feet.  And  the  Oriental 
passion  for  gems  immediately  asserted  itself. 
A  look  of  intense  interest  came  into  the 
Dey's  disdainful  face.  Gold  was  a  common 
commodity  of  certain  value,  —  but  pearls  and 
rubies  had  the  charm  of  rarity  and  of  uncer 
tain  value.  He  regarded  them  with  a  longing 
eye,  and  looked  inquiringly  at  the  consul, 
who  said : 

"  Great  Bashaw,  Yusef.  This  young  Amer 
ican  beseeches  you  to  accept  these  jewels  as  a 
ransom  for  his  father  and  three  American 
seamen,  whom  your  sailors  captured  on  the 
eleventh  of  March,  about  two  years  ago.  It 
is  ail  he  can  offer.  The  American's  for 
tune  was  in  the  ship,  which  is  now  yours. 

These  jewels   come  from   the  women  of  his 
16  241 


Trinity  Bells 

family.  Deign,  Bashaw,  to  hear  his  petition 
favorably." 

"  The  cadi  of  the  slaves  and  prisoners  shall 
be  consulted,"  answered  the  Bashaw.  "  By 
the  Prophet !  if  these  Americans  are  still  alive 
they  have  been  too  well  treated." 

Then  Paul  did  a  very  wise  thing.  Instead 
of  restoring  the  jewels  to  their  cases,  he  handed 
them  to  the  interpreter  for  the  Dey,  saying, 
"  Let  the  pearls  and  rubies  remain.  And  may 
the  inquiries  be  propitious." 

This  was  all.  It  seemed  to  Paul  very  little ; 
but  the  consul  considered  it  a  great  deal. 
Yet  Paul  passed  three  days  of  sickening  anx 
iety  before  the  investigation  was  made.  It 
was  then  declared  that  two  of  the  four  men 
taken  from  I'he  Golden  Victory  were  dead ; 
but  that,  for  the  lives  of  the  other  two  the 
holy  Bashaw  was  willing,  in  his  great  generos 
ity,  to  consider  the  ship  and  the  jewels  a  suffi 
cient  ransom. 

Three  more  days  were  consumed  in  getting 
242 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje ! 

the  necessary  orders  and  discharges ;  and  in 
securing  men  and  camels  to  go  with  Paul  to 
the  station  at  which  his  father,  if  still  alive, 
was  detained.  But  at  length  all  was  ready, 
and  Paul  left  Algiers  for  the  works  at  Me- 
quezna  —  a  journey  of  four  days  inland.  It 
was  a  terrible  journey.  The  country  itself  was 
enough  to  inspire  despair  —  the  vast  treeless 
plains,  the  large  salt  lakes,  the  arid  grandeur 
of  the  white  rocks,  the  fiery  glories  of  the 
sun,  the  whole  strange,  solitary  landscape, 
filled  him  with  an  indescribable  sadness. 
Everything  was  savage,  burning,  cruel ;  the 
land  and  the  men  alike  partook  of  the  nature 
of  the  lions  which  haunted  every  mile  of  their 
journey.  And  oh  !  how  these  four  awful  days 
of  travel  filled  Paul's  heart  with  pity  for  his 
captive  father !  and  with  love  and  longing  for 
his  own  green,  cool,  free,  beautiful  native  land ! 
"  Oh  America !  America  ! "  he  sobbed  as  he 
lay  down  fearfully  to  try  and  sleep  in  the 
shadowy  caravan,  among  the  camels  and  asses, 
243 


Trinity  Bells 

—  the  fathomless  depths  of  the  African  sky 
above  him,  and  the  roar  of  hungry  lions  all 
around  —  "Oh,  my  native  land!  if  ever  I 
forget  thee,  or  cease  to  love  thee,  may  I  die  in 
this  awful  place  ! "  For  it  was  impossible  to 
rid  himself  of  a  frightful  impression  of  entire 
separation  from  home  and  country.  He  felt 
as  if  he  was  changed  into  another  person,  and 
lived  in  a  different  world,  and  in  a  long-ago 
time. 

Twice  they  met  parties  of  Christian  slaves 
being  driven  to  some  other  post,  where  their 
labor  was  needed.  The  clang  of  their  chained 
limbs,  their  hopeless  looks,  their  bare  feet  and 
heads  in  the  hot  sand  and  sun,  and  the  over 
seers  armed  with  long  whips  accompanying 
them,  made  a  scene  that  Paul  could  not  endure 
to  look  at.  After  it,  he  felt  as  if  camels  must 
forever  be  hateful  to  him ;  they  were  so  slow, 
so  wearisome,  so  indifferent,  and  he  was  aching 
and  sick  with  an  impatience  that  neither  the 
men  nor  camels  cared  anything  about.  He 
244 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

was  sure  a  horse  would  have  comprehended 
—  would  have  felt  his  passionate  stress  and 
hurry,  and  at  least  have  carried  him  with 
some  sympathy. 

At  last,  however,  Mequezna  was  in  sight, 
though  all  that  appeared  was  some  old  walls 
of  hardened  clay,  seamed  and  cracked  by  the 
sun,  and  a  few  roofless  huts.  An  air  of  un 
speakable  misery  hung  over  the  place;  it  was 
desolate  and  sad  beyond  description.  Half 
a  mile  away  there  were  many  lime-kilns,  and 
the  cadi  directed  Paul  thither.  His  soul  out 
ran  his  body,  he  sent  his  loving,  longing 
thoughts  before  him,  and  perhaps  his  father 
was  insensibly  influenced  by  them.  For,  though 
it  was  not  permitted  that  any  slave  should  lift 
his  eyes,  even  for  a  moment  from  his  labor, 
Captain  Jan  was  standing  erect  by  his  burn 
ing  kiln. 

For   amid    the    blaze    and    heat,   a    sudden 
vision  had  come  to  him,  of  the  wild  free  waves, 
of    his    bounding    ship,  and     of    the    fresh 
245 


Trinity  Bells 

cool  winds  of  heaven  blowing  all  around  him. 
He  shaded  his  hot  eyes  with  his  hands,  and 
looked  across  the  white  desert,  as  if  he  was 
looking  and  praying  for  help.  And  in  that 
moment  his  prayer  was  answered.  For  Paul 
saw  him,  and  knew  him,  and  called  out  with  a 
voice  that  pierced  that  dreadful  solitude  : 

"  Father  I     Father  I     Father  I  " 

He  was  answered  by  a  cry  that  was  hardly 
human  in  the  intensity  of  its  agony  and 
wonder  and  joy.  Then,  despising  all  dis 
cipline,  and  indifferent  to  punishment,  Captain 
Jan  ran  to  meet  the  approaching  caravan. 
And  oh  !  how  amazing,  how  bewildering,  were 
the  words  that  greeted  him  : 

"  Freedom !  Freedom,  father !  You  are 
FREE!" 

It  was  soon  ascertained  that  Captain  Jan 
was  the  only  man  from  'The  Golden  Victory  still 
alive.  But  Paul  had  brought  money  with 
him,  and  the  overseer  was  induced  to  put  in 
the  dead  sailor's  place  a  poor  little  lad  from 
246 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

Nantucket  —  the  only  other  American  at  that 
station.  Fortunately,  Paul  had  not  forgotten 
to  bring  with  him  some  linen  and  clothing  for 
his  father,  and  hardly  anything  that  was 
merely  physical  could  have  so  delighted  the 
captain.  "  It  was  mother's  thought,"  said 
Paul.  "  She  packed  the  clothing,  and  bade  me 
on  no  account  forget  it." 

"  And  it  was  just  like  your  mother,  Paul," 
he  answered,  his  eyes  full  of  happy  tears. 
"  No  one  but  mother  would  have  considered 
such  a  thing.  I  was  dead,  and  am  alive 
again  ! "  he  cried,  with  a  transcendent  grati 
tude,  "  I  was  lost,  and  am  found !  " 

In  four  days  they  were  in  Algiers.  Then 
the  captain  caught  sight  of  the  sea,  and  he 
shouted  aloud;  and  the  little  sailor  lad  cried 
like  a  child.  But  all  were  yet  trembling  with 
anxiety  and  terror.  Yusef  was  as  capricious  as 
the  wind,  and  as  treacherous  as  a  bog ;  some 
trouble  might  have  arisen  which  would  change 
all.  But  no !  Thank  God,  there  lay  the 
247 


Trinity  Bells 

George  Washington,  the  blessed  ship  on  which 
their  safety  depended.  They  reached  the 
mole.  The  cadi,  having  examined  their  pass 
ports,  and  received  the  consul's  assurance  that 
the  ransomed  were  Americans,  they  were  suf 
fered  to  embark. 

During  these  awful  moments  of  suspense, 
Captain  Jan  was  dumb.  He  stood  by  Paul's 
side  in  a  trance  of  unspeakable,  agonizing  fear. 
For  his  life  he  could  not  have  said  a  word ;  he 
was  quivering,  breathless,  until  the  little  boat 
was  under  the  lee  of  the  George  Washington, 
and  a  ladder  of  ropes  was  flung  over  her  side ; 
then  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye, 
he  seized  the  ladder,  and  the  next  moment 
he  was  received  on  her  deck  with  a  shout  of 
welcome. 

But  Captain  Jan  saw  no  human  being ;  he 
flung  himself  upon  his  knees  to  thank  God ; 
and  when  he  rose,  his  first  action  was  to  clasp 
the  starry  flag  of  America  to  his  breast,  and 
kiss  it,  and  kiss  it,  and  kiss  it  again  and  again, 
248 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

until  a  passion  of  tears  relieved  the  almost  un 
bearable  tension  and  pressure  of  his  emotions. 
Oh  what  a  marvellous  hour  that  was !  He 
was  free !  He  was  safe  !  And  he  had  not  felt 
safe  for  a  moment,  until  the  Stars  and  Stripes 
were  blowing  over  him.  Now,  even  if  the  Dey 
should  alter  his  mind,  he  could  fight  —  he  could 
die  for  his  freedom. 

And  that  very  night  there  seemed  to  be  a 
prospect  of  a  fight.  Captain  Bainbridge  re 
ceived  an  impudent  but  imperative  order,  to 
take  on  board  the  George  Washington,  a  present 
of  slaves,  wild  beasts,  and  money  for  the 
Sultan ;  and  carry  them  to  Constantinople. 
In  vain  Captain  Bainbridge  protested ;  the 
Dey  assured  him  that  the  George  Washington 
was  fully  in  his  power,  and  unless  he  obeyed, 
she  would  be  appropriated,  her  officers  and 
crew  sold  as  slaves,  and  war  immediately  de 
clared  against  American  trade. 

D 

There  was  nothing,  therefore,  to  be  done,  but 
to  proceed  to  Constantinople  on  the  despot's 
249 


Trinity  Bells 

business  ;  and  it  appeared  as  if  there  was  no 
other  course  for  Paul  and  his  father,  except 
that  of  accompanying  them.  But  fortunately, 
that  very  night  an  English  ship  anchored  close 
beside  the  George  Washington ;  and  as  soon  as 
it  was  dark,  Paul  managed  to  board  her ;  and 
to  so  engage  the  captain's  sympathy  that  he 
was  not  only  willing  but  very  desirous  to  carry 
the  three  men  out  of  danger.  Before  mid 
night  the  transfer  had  been  made ;  but  not 
until  they  reached  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  did  Cap 
tain  Jan  feel  safe. 

"  The  Mediterranean,"  he  said,  "  is  full  of 
these  Moorish  robbers  and  murderers  ;  and  no 
vessel  is  secure,  no  matter  under  what  flag  she 
sails.  For  when  they  have  sunk  a  craft,  they 
vow  she  was  flying  some  flag  not  under  their 
protection." 

In  London  they  deposited  the  money  which 

Paul  had  brought  for  ransom  in  the  Bank  of 

England ;  and  without  a  moment's  delay  sought 

a  ship  bound  for  New  York.     They  were  for- 

250 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

tunate  enough  to  find  the  Elijah  Pell,  a  fast 
clipper,  just  ready  to  sail,  and  with  glad 
hearts  they  stepped  on  board  of  her.  In  those 
days,  however,  to  sail,  even  in  a  merchant 
vessel,  was  to  sail  with  danger  ;  and  with  the 
chance  of  fight  or  capture.  England  and 
France  were  liable  at  any  hour  to  go  to  war ; 
America  and  France  were  ready  to  fight  when 
ever  their  crafts  met ;  and  the  privateers  of  all 
three  nations  hung  round  in  perilous  proximity 
to  ingoing  and  outcoming  ships. 

But  at  last !  at  last !  the  low-lying,  happy 
shores  of  America  were  in  sight — the  Hook 
was  passed  —  they  were  in  the  river  —  the  city 
itself  was  coming  into  view  —  in  two  or  three 
hours  Captain  Jan  and  his  son  might  be  sing 
ing  in  their  own  home,  the  delightful  little  sea 
chantey  that  had  interpreted  their  hopes  and 
longings  many  an  hour  on  their  voyage  —  the 
chantey  that  home-bound  Northern  sailors  had 
sung  for  at  least  two  hundred  years  ;  and  may 
sing  for  twice  as  many  more : 


Trinity  Bells 


/( 

9  5 

1 

•  !      •    " 

in" 

u      -1 

E 

4 

• 

\^i 

r     ^ 

p 

<5J               4 

22 

d 

i 

-*- 

And    it 's     Home,   dear   -  ie      Home !    Oh,      it 's 


^ 


Home    I     want     to     be!     My      top   -  sails       are 


hoist  -  ed,      and       I      must  out      to    sea ;    For  the 


&=SL-f-£ 


v- 


oak,   and    the  ash,    and   the      bon  -  ny    birch  -  en 


tree,  They  're  all      a  •  grow  -  in'    green      in       the 


North  Coun  -  tree,    And  it 's   Home,  dear  -  ie  Home ! 
252 


The  return  of  Captain  Jan  and  Paul 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje ! 

It  was  a  charming  day  in  late  April ;  one  of 
those  spring  days  when  New  York  is  at  her 
very  loveliest  —  when  the  sky  is  blue,  dappled 
with  white,  and  the  west  wind  blows  gently 
through  her  streets,  and  every  man  has  a 
flower  in  his  button-hole,  and  every  woman 
violets  on  her  breast,  or  daffodils  in  her 
hands  —  when  there  are  early  flowers  selling  at 
the  street  corners,  and  the  very  beggars  ask 
for  pennies  with  music.  It  was  just  the  same 
a  hundred  years  ago.  Madame  Van  Clyffe  had 
a  box  of  English  daisies  in  bloom  at  her  parlor 
window  ;  they  were  crying  violets  on  the  street ; 
they  were  selling  pansies,  and  snowdrops,  and 
lilies  of  the  valley  in  pots,  at  the  street  corners. 
A  man  was  playing  a  fiddle  on  the  sidewalk 
before  Trinity  ;  and  the  shop  windows  were 
full  of  Indian  calicoes  and  muslins,  and  spring 
delaines,  and  straw  bonnets,  and  green  para 
sols,  and  summer  lutestrings,  and  delicate 
mercery  goods  of  every  description. 

Madame   Van    ClyfFe    was  busy   with    her 


Trinity  Bells 

needle  ;  Catharine  was  painting  a  fan ;  Mr. 
Errington  was  upstairs  working  on  his  "  Dutch 
Interior;"  they  could  hear  his  footsteps  as  he 
moved  about,  and  the  soft  echo  of  Full 
Fathoms  Five,  which  he  was  singing,  as  he 
worked.  Catharine  had  been  telling  her 
mother  something  amusing  about  Elsie ;  but 
they  had  talked  the  event  over,  and  were  both 
silent  —  so  silent  that  the  movement  of  needle 
and  pencil,  and  the  murmur  of  song  above 
them,  were  all  distinctly  audible. 

This  conscious  quiet  was  broken  by  an 
indescribable  movement  at  the  door,  and  a 
rapid  knock  —  the  knocky  for  which  their  hearts 
were  always  listening.  With  an  uncontrol 
lable  cry,  Madame  ran  to  the  door.  Catharine 
followed  her.  This  time  it  was  the  glory  and 
fruition  of  long  months  of  prayer  and  watch 
ing.  She  was  in  her  husband's  arms.  She 
was  in  Paul's  arms.  She  was  laughing  and 
crying.  They  were  all  laughing  and  crying. 
None  of  them  could,  at  first,  utter  a  word. 


All  is  Well,  Katryntjel 

But  after  a  few  minutes  what  a  hubbub  of 
joy  filled  the  house  !  What  running  hither 
and  thither  !  What  exclamations  of  welcome  ! 
What  hurrying  hospitality !  all  the  wonders 
of  meeting  love,  when  the  dead  is  alive  again, 
and  the  lost  is  found.  As  quickly  as  the  first 
excitement  was  over,  the  captain  asked  to  see 
Mr.  Errington.  Paul  ran  upstairs  to  bring 
him  down.  He  had  already  guessed  what 
had  happened ;  and  he  stood  with  eager  face 
listening  to  the  strange  voices,  when  Paul 
entered,  and,  with  an  utter  abandonment  of 
Dutch  phlegm,  flung  his  arms  round  his 
friend's  neck,  crying  "  Come  !  Come  !  Come 
to  my  father  !  " 

There  was,  however,  no  necessity  for  Mr. 
Errington  to  "  come."  Captain  Jan  had 
closely  followed  Paul ;  and  he  stood  within 
his  deliverer's  room.  The  two  men  met  with 
clasping  hands.  They  looked  at  each  other 
until  their  eyes  filled,  and  the  captain  said 
solemnly  : 


Trinity  Bells 

"  Like  an  angel  from  heaven  you  have 
been  to  me !  All  my  life  long  I  will  love 
you ! " 

"  It  was  God  Himself  who  thought  of 
you,  captain,"  answered  Mr.  Errington. 
"  I  was  only  His  messenger.  But  I  thank 
God  that  he  trusted  and  honored  me  so 
far." 

"  I  have  now  something  to  do,  and  I  wish 
then  that  you  would  come  with  me,"  said 
the  captain,  and  the  three  men  went  down 
stairs  together.  And  I  am  sure,  every  boy 
and  girl  reading  this  story  knows  well  what 
Captain  Jan  had  to  do,  and  would  lose  all 
interest  in  him  if  he  lost  any  time  in  perform 
ing  it.  But  indeed  his  heart  was  full  of  joy  in 
the  duty  before  him.  He  went  into  Ma- 
dame's  parlor,  and  in  a  voice  full  of  happy 
impatience,  sent  Paul  to  summon  Pop,  and 
Bosney,  and  Sibbey,  and  Jane  ;  and  as  soon 
as  he  saw  their  black  faces  beaming  a  thou 
sand  e  welcomes  home '  to  him,  his  own  face 
256 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje ! 

grew  very  sad,  and  full  of  wistful  pity.  But 
there  was  something  wonderful,  more  than 
human,  in  the  jubilant  voice  with  which  he 
cried : 

"  Friends,  from  this  moment,  you  are  all 
free ;  every  one  ol  you  free  as  a  bird  in  the 
air !  I  will  not  own  a  clave  another  moment. 
I  will  not  have  a  slave  in  my  home.  Do  you 
understand  me  ?  You  are  all  as  free  as  I  am  ! 
As  free  as  the  Governor !  As  free  as  the 
President !  As  free  as  my  own  dear  wife  and 
children !  To-morrow  I  will  have  the  papers 
recording  your  freedom  made  out ;  and  I  will 
give  to  each  of  you  two  hundred  dollars.  I 
would  gladly  make  it  a  thousand,  if  I  had  the 
means  to  do  so.  To  these  promises  God 
and  Mr.  Errington  are  witness."  Then  he 
shook  hands  with  each,  and  they  went  out  of 
the  room  dumb  with  their  amazing  joy,  nor 
scarcely  able  to  comprehend  at  once,  that 
their  bonds  had  been  broken  asunder,  and 
that  they  might  do  what  they  wished,  and  say 
17  257 


Trinity  Bells 

what  they  wished,  and  go  where  they  wished  — 
being,  as  they  had  never  before  been,  free  as 
the  bird  in  the  air ! 

Then  Paul  went  with  the  glad  tidings  to  his 
grandmother  and  uncle ;  but  the  news  had, 
by  this  time,  spread  like  wildfire  through  the 
city.  There  was  soon  a  great  crowd  before 
the  door  of  the  Van  Clyffes'  house ;  and  the 
captain  had  to  go  out  and  show  himself  alive, 
and  be  cheered  and  congratulated  by  thou 
sands.  For  all  day  long,  and  far  into  the 
night,  these  impromptu  public  receptions  con 
tinued.  Paul  was  also  called  for;  and  the 
father  and  son  standing  together,  were  a  mirac 
ulous  story,  full  of  the  noblest  emotions  that 
touch  the  human  heart.  Many  parents  wept, 
and  almost  envied  the  man  whose  son  had 
dared  the  tyrant,  even  in  his  palace,  for  his 
father's  life  and  liberty.  And  if  the  public 
respected  the  privacy  of  Madame  and  her 
little  daughter,  not  one  soul  was  oblivious  of 
the  fact  that  they,  in  their  silent  work  and 
258 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

patient  waiting,  had  borne  the  hardest  share  in 
the  heroic  story. 

In  the  midst  of  one  of  these  popular  exhi 
bitions  of  sympathy,  the  captain's  old  mother 
was  recognized.  She  was  trembling  with 
joy  and  excitement,  though  leaning  upon  Paul ; 
and  strong  arms  carried  her  to  her  son's  arms ; 
and  when  they  met,  a  great  shout  of  fellow- 
feeling  filled  the  street.  For  in  those  days, 
life  was  not  so  rapid,  and  men  and  women 
had  time  to  "rejoice  with  those  who  do  re 
joice  ; "  and  really,  children,  if  you  will  be 
lieve  me,  it  is  one  of  the  grandest  things 
humanity  can  do.  Nothing  opens  the  door 
of  the  soul  so  wide  for  heavenly  influences  ; 
because  it  includes  a  total  forgetfulness  of 
self —  a  godlike  joy,  kin  to  the  joy  of  the 
angels,  rejoicing  over  a  soul  returning  to  God. 

Then  Uncle  Jacob,  and  Gertrude  and  Alida 

came ;  and  at  the  captain's  eager  request,  Mr. 

Errington  cancelled  his  engagement  for  that 

night,  and  spent  it  with  the  happy  reunited 

859 


Trinity  Bells 

family.  Indeed,  the  whole  atmosphere  was 
so  thrilled,  and  ^permeated  with  rapture  and 
thanksgiving,  no  one  would  willingly  have  left 
it  for  a  lower  stratum.  For  in  this  common 
place  house  there  was,  that  night,  the  very  air 
of  heaven  —  an  influence  so  noble  and  unself 
ish  that  they  might  hardly  hope  to  experience 
its  like  again  in  all  the  years  before  them. 

In  the  evening  they  listened  to  the  captain's 
sorrowful  tale,  and  to  Paul's  description  of  his 
interview  with  the  Dey.  Then,  for  the  first 
time,  all  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  Paul 
had  brought  back  very  nearly  all  the  money 
he  had  taken  away : 

"  But  you  must  not  give  the  credit  of  its 
preservation  to  me,"  said  Paul.  "  It  was  our 
consul  that  saved  it.  I  should  have  offered 
all  I  had;  but  he  said  tome,  c  The  jewels  will 
be  irresistible  to  Yusef.  If  you  offer  him 
any  sum  of  money,  he  will  suspect  that  you 
have  more,  and  every  added  thousand  will  in 
crease  both  his  cupidity,  and  your  difficulties. 
•60 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

But  if  he  believes  that  these  pearls  and  gems 
are  all  you  possess,  he  will  not  risk  the  losing 
of  them ;  he  cares  nothing  for  human  life,  — 
a  man  or  two,  more  or  less,  he  will  not  count 
against  that  string  of  pearls.'  And  thus  it 
proved.  So,  then,  after  all,  it  was  you,  mother, 
who  ransomed  our  father." 

However,  every  one  had  for  the  time  risen 
above  the  power  of  gold ;  even  Jan's  mother 
hardly  seemed  to  care  that  her  ten  thousand 
dollars  were  safe  in  the  Bank  of  England.  She 
sat  next  to  her  recovered  son ;  she  drew  his 
poor  head  —  burned,  and  bleached  white  — 
down  to  her  aged  breast ;  but  her  heart  was 
as  young  and  tender  as  in  the  days  she  had 
hushed  him  to  sleep  there.  And  she  forgot 
the  dollars,  and  thought  only  of  her  boy,  —  of 
the  dreadful  "  far  country  "  from  which  he  had 
returned  to  her  love ;  of  the  happy  fact  that 
he  had  been  dead,  and  was  alive  again ;  that 
he  had  been  lost,  but  was  found. 

These  were  the  blessed  words  that  Jan  con- 
261 


Trinity  Bells 

stantly  repeated  —  that  his  mother  echoed  — 
that  lingered  in  the  heart  of  every  one  that 
heard  them  —  lost,  but  found  !  "  God  saw  me," 
said  Jan,  reverently.  "  He  saw  me,  a  sailor, 
loving  the  great  sea  which  He  made,  a  free 
citizen  of  the  wide  ocean,  breathing  gladly  the 
wildest,  and  coldest  of  His  winds  that  blew,  — 
He  saw  me,  in  that  white,  blinding,  burning 
desert,  over  the  lime-kilns ;  and  He  remem 
bered  me,  and  sent  His  messenger,"  —  and 
here  he  went  across  the  room  to  Mr.  Erring- 
ton,  and  took  his  hands  and  raised  them  to  his 
lips,  —  and  my  boy  Paul  came  for  me.  I  was 
lost,  and  am  found  !  " 

That  night  Catharine  went  to  her  room 
weary  beyond  words  with  love  and  joy.  She 
had  felt  until  she  could  feel  no  longer.  She 
was  too  tired  to  uncoil  her  hair,  —  too  tired  to 
undress,  —  too  tired  to  think,  —  she  did  not 
remember  when,  nor  how,  she  put  her  aching 
head  upon  the  pillow.  Her  father's  words 
filled  all  the  consciousness  left  her ;  they  echoed 
262 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje ! 

in  her  soul ;  they  stirred  half-remembered 
things  in  her  mind  and  memory ;  they  must 
have  lingered  in  her  ear  chambers ;  for  when 
the  first  glimmer  of  understanding  returned  to 
her  in  the  morning,  the  bells  were  chiming 
seven,  and  she  could  not  help  repeating  after 
them 


"  Lost,    and  found,  Ka  -  trynt  -  je  !    Lost    and     found  1  " 

No  event  in  life  is  without  its  consequences, 
and  the  return  of  Captain  Van  Clyffe  had  a 
very  important  influence  on  the  life  of  his 
daughter.  For  he  was  a  man  of  known  skill 
and  energy  in  all  nautical  matters ;  and  from 
every  side  a  ready  and  practical  sympathy 
flowed  to  him.  In  five  weeks  he  left  New 
York  in  command  of  The  Retribution^  a  fine 
privateer ;  and  in  three  months  he  had  sent 
back  two  prizes,  which  the  firm  of  Jeremiah 
Cruger  &  Co.  handled  with  remarkable  suc 
cess,  both  for  Captain  Jan  and  themselves. 
263 


Trinity  Bells 

Paul  brought  back  one  of  these  prizes ;  and 
showed  himself,  on  a  rather  perilous  voyage, 
to  be  worthy  of  the  trust  reposed  in  his  skill 
and  judgment. 

During  these  first  three  months,  Catharine 
was  not  free  from  the  obligations  of  the  past 
sorrowful  winter.  She  felt  in  honor  bound 
to  attend  to  her  music  pupils,  until  their  terms 
were  fully  completed ;  and  also  to  finish,  with 
even  extra  beauty  and  care,  the  embroidery 
which  she  had  undertaken.  In  the  latter  work 
she  was  constantly  assisted  by  Elsie's  clever 
fingers ;  and  so  the  time,  with  a  positive 
hope  to  bless  and  brighten  it,  passed  very 
pleasantly  away. 

Then,  as  Mr.  Errington  had  gone  to  Eng 
land  on  a  visit,  and  it  was  very  warm  weather, 
Catharine  took  a  long,  sweet  rest  with  her 
mother.  The  house  was  now  quite  their  own ; 
the  other  lodgers  having  found  quarters  else 
where  ;  and  the  enfranchised  slaves  were  work 
ing  in  various  ways  in  their  own  homes,  "  for 
264 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

themselves."  Two  Irish  girls  supplied  their 
places,  and  Madame  and  Catharine  found  time 
to  read,  and  to  walk,  and  to  visit  their  old 
friends  together. 

But  as  soon  as  autumn  brought  cool  days, 
Catharine  began  the  completion  of  her  inter 
rupted  education.  The  finest  music  and  singing 
masters  were  obtained.  An  old  French  gentle 
man  read  and  spoke  French  with  her  two  hours 
daily ;  and  beside  these  things,  she  learned  how 
to  dance  the  stately  minuet,  and  the  grave 
saraband ;  and  her  time  was  as  fully  occupied 
as  if  she  had  been  at  school. 

Soon  after  the  New  Year,  Mr.  Errington 
returned,  and  they  were  glad  to  see  him  again. 
His  rooms  —  which  the  captain  insisted  should 
always  be  his  —  had  been  very  still  and  lonely 
in  his  absence ;  and  it  was  a  real  delight  to 
hear  him  stepping  about  them  to  the  music 
of  his  own  singing,  —  a  real  delight,  to  see 
him  going  in  and  out,  always  so  handsome 
and  cheerful ;  always  so  exquisitely  dressed 
265 


Trinity  Bells 

—  always  with  a  pleasant  word  to  them  in 
passing. 

One  morning,  when  Elsie,  with  her  skates 
over  her  arm,  came  for  Catharine  for  an  hour's 
skating,  he  took  a  fancy  to  join  them.  Whether 
he  was  really  ignorant  of  the  art  is  doubtful ;  but 
the  girls  believed  they  taught  him  ;  and,  at  any 
rate,  many  a  delightful  hour  followed  this  ini 
tiation.  For  no  one  could  desire  a  more  vivid, 
enchanting  companion  on  the  ice,  than  was 
Elsie  Evertsen.  She  would  buckle  the  steel 
firm  to  her  heel,  and  then  wheel  and  skate  so 
that  the  evolutions  of  a  swallow  were  not 
swifter  or  more  graceful,  —  one  might  indeed 
say  that  the  ice  was  Elsie's  native  element.  And 
with  Mr.  Errington  there  was  always  that 
"  something  more  "  which  made  play  delight 
ful.  Thus  one  day,  when  they  were  quite 
wearied,  and  had  sat  down  to  rest,  and  to 
watch  the  gay  throng  before  them,  he  said  : 

"  Elsie,  Catharine,  have  you  yet  noticed, 
what  a  very  individual  thing  skating  is  ? 
366 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

Really,  you  may  read  a  man's  or  a  woman's 
character  in  their  heels,  if  they  are  on  the  ice. 
Human  nature,  upon  a  few  inches  of  steel, 
makes  a  display  of  itself." 

"You  are  exactly  right,"  answered  Elsie. 
"  It  is  a  most  delightful  way  of  display.  I  am 
more  particular  about  my  skating  dresses  than 
even  my  dancing  dresses." 

Errington  smiled,  and  added,  "  I  had  a 
deeper  thought  than  mere  clothing,  Elsie. 
Look  at  that  jaunty  girl,  for  instance;  she  will 
most  likely  go  through  life,  as  she  skims  over 
the  ice,  with  her  nose  in  the  air ;  and  that 
solemn-looking  man,  who  plods  along,  and 
sees  only  his  own  reflection  in  the  surface,  will 
be  very  apt  to  plod  along  his  rut  of  life  unto 
the  end  —  and  I  will  be  bound  that  stately 
girl  in  brown  and  red  is  a  very  just  girl. 
See  !  She  never  gets  in  any  one's  way ;  and  I 
am  sure  that  she  will  be  angry  at  any  one,  who 
gets  in  her  way.  —  And  there  is  a  dreamy  girl  " 
—  pointing  to  one  in  a  striped  petticoat  —  "a 
267 


Trinity  Bells 


girl  no  more  sure  of  her  opinions  than  she  is 
of  her  skates ;  but  the  man  who  is  with  her,  is 
a  dauntless  fellow;  he  will  make  a  career  out 
of  the  slightest  materials." 

"And  that  girl  in  orange,  what  of  her?" 
asked  Elsie. 

"  I  dare  say  that  she  is  both  selfish 
and  proud,"  answered  Mr.  Errington.  "  No 
tice  how  persistently  she  is  the  centre  of  her 
circle." 

Elsie  clapped  her  hands.  "  So  true !  So 
true ! "  she  cried.  "  It  is  Annetje  Roe,  and 
she  is  for  nobody  but  Annetje.  She  wants  the 
first  and  the  most  of  everything.  Proud  !  I 
should  think  so!  Annetje  believes  herself  to 
be  everybody." 

In  this  way  he  pointed  out  the  trim,  the 
affected,  the  timid,  the  careless ;  and  Elsie 
listened,  and  made  her  little  personal  commen 
taries  and  applications  ;  and  Catharine  listened, 
and  watched,  and  partly  understood  something 
of  the  deeper  meaning.  But  with  or  without 
268 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

understanding,  the  mere  physical  exercise  was 
a  great  pleasure  to  all.  During  the  previous 
winter,  skating,  or  indeed  any  amusement, 
had  been  impossible  to  Catharine  ;  and  when 
she  thought  of  the  difference  between  the 
two  seasons,  her  heart  was  full  of  a  joyous 
gratitude. 

As  the  spring  opened,  Mr.  Errington  re 
turned  the  girls'  kindness  by  offering  to  make 
them  as  clever  horsewomen  as  they  were 
skaters ;  and  the  offer  was  gladly  accepted. 
Then  what  consultations  there  were  about  habits 
and  hats,  and  the  little  embroidered  habit- 
skirts  that,  in  those  days,  gave  such  a  neat, 
clean  aspect  to  the  riding  dress.  Mr.  Erring- 
ton  selected  the  horses ;  and  the  early  lessons 
were  given  in  a  paddock  belonging  to  the 
Evertsen  mansion.  But  both  Elsie  and  Cath 
arine  had  a  natural  seat  and  fearlessness ;  and 
in  a  month  they  were  quite  able  to  take  the 
famous  "  fourteen  mile  round,"  that  is,  up 
Broadway  to  Chambers  Street ;  across  to  Chat- 
269 


Trinity  Bells 

ham  Row ;  then  up  the  Bowery  Lane,  till  they 
could  round  the  eastern  slopes  of  Murray 
Hill ;  and  so  on,  to  a  point  above  the  present 
Seventy-seventh  Street;  where  they  turned  to 
the  west,  among  the  leafy  hillsides  now  in 
Central  Park ;  then  southward,  on  the  Bloom- 
ingdale  road,  through  a  lovely  region  studded 
with  fine  country  houses,  all  the  way  to 
Twenty-third  Street;  where  the  Bowery  Lane 
was  again  chosen,  to  reach  Franklin  Square, 
and  Broadway. 

All  summer  these  fourteen-mile  canters 
were  continued,  in  the  early  morning,  or  in  the 
cool  evening ;  and  if  to  this  pleasure  be  added 
the  pleasures  and  duties  already  named,  some 
idea  of  the  happy  life  Catharine  led  at  this 
time,  may  be  easily  formed.  Besides,  there 
was  a  tolerable  certainty  of  letters  and  visits 
from  the  captain  and  Paul,  not  very  far  apart ; 
and  when  they  did  come,  it  was  always  with 
prizes ;  and  thus,  not  only  a  good  deal  of 
money,  but  a  good  deal  of  eclat  was  associated 
270 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

with  their  appearances.  Upon  the  whole,  then, 
at  this  period  of  her  life,  Catharine  was  as 
happy  a  girl  as  health,  and  beauty,  and  loving 
relatives  and  friends,  and  plenty  of  occupation, 
and  plenty  of  amusement  and  money,  could 
make  her. 

The  following  winter  Grandmother  Van 
Clyffe  died.  She  had  failed  slowly,  but  con 
stantly,  after  her  son's  return  from  captivity ; 
and  she  went  away  at  last,  as  quietly  as  a  child 
goes  to  sleep.  Her  will  made  some  sensation. 
She  divided  her  real  estate  equally  between 
her  sons  and  her  grandson ;  and  her  savings 
equally  between  her  granddaughters  Alida  and 
Catharine.  To  Catharine  she  also  bequeathed 
her  pieces  of  rare  Middelburg  tapestry,  and  her 
carved  Nuremberg  cabinets ;  to  Alida  she  left 
also  her  jewelry  and  clothing ;  and  to  her 
daughter-in-law  all  her  silver,  linen  and  damask. 
But  to  Gertrude  she  left  nothing  at  all;  and 
the  girl  —  in  spite  of  her  frequent  declarations 
that  she  did  not  expect  anything  —  was  abso- 
271 


Trinity  Bells 

lutely  shocked  by  the  neglect.  Then  she  was 
angry ;  and  said  some  very  hard  things,  until 
her  father  stopped  her  with  a  stern  wrath  she 
had  never  before  seen  in  him. 

"  Be  afraid  ! "  he  said,  "  to  speak  ill  of  the 
dead.  Has  not  your  speaking  ill  of  the  living 
brought  you  punishment  enough  ? " 

"  My  grandmother  forgave  me,"  answered 
Gertrude.  "  Why,  then,  did  she  punish  me  ? 
She  had  no  right." 

"All  rights  had  she.  Forgiveness  can 
not  do  away  with  punishment.  No,  indeed ! 
Wrong  it  would  be  to  forgive,  if  it  could. 
See,  now,  I  have  told  you  not  to  ride  the  new 
horse,  because  he  is  dangerous ;  but  suppose 
that  you  did  ride  him,  and  that  he  threw 
you,  and  your  arms  were  broken  ;  well,  then, 
I  might  forgive  you  with  all  my  heart,  I 
might  be  so  sorry  for  you — but  the  suffer 
ing,  you  would  have  to  bear  that !  No  help 
for  it.  That  is  God's  way  —  that  is  Nature's 
way  —  and  your  grandmother  was  just  and 
272 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

right  in  making  you  suffer.  I  myself  told 
her  so." 

A  few  days  afterwards,  Alida  and  Catharine 
asked  him  to  permit  them  to  share  their 
grandmother's  gifts  equally  with  Gertrude ; 
but  he  was  still  more  angry. 

"  What  is  it  you  ask  ? "  he  said  with  a 
passionate  stamp  of  his  foot.  "  Ingrates  that 
you  are  !  Now  that  the  dead  cannot  speak 
for  herself,  you  will  disobey  her !  You  will 
make  of  no  value  her  wishes  :  I  am  ashamed 
of  you  all.  By  such  conduct,  what  would 
you  obtain  ?  Would  the  living  be  grateful  to 
you  ?  No.  Would  the  dead  be  pleased  with 
you?  No.  If  you  fear  to  disobey  the  living, 
be  a  thousand  times  more  afraid  to  disobey 
the  dead.  Speak  not  another  word  on  this 
subject.  I  will  not  hear  it." 

And  Gertrude  had  the  wisdom  of  the  inevi 
table.  She  accepted  what  she  could  not  alter. 
Yet,  oh  with  what  bitterness  of  self-reproach, 
she  remembered  that  morning,  when,  for  the 
'8  273 


Trinity  Bells 

sake  of  being  disagreeable  to  her  cousin,  she 
had  permitted  her  tongue  to  say  words  that 
had  cost  her  many  thousands  of  dollars. 
"Counting  the  cost"  of  sins  and  follies  is 
alv/ays  a  hard  sum  in  arithmetic ;  and  Ger 
trude  did  this  sum  very  often,  in  a  solitude  full 
of  regrets,  and  self-reproaches. 

Now,  if  I  was  going  to  write  the  whole  life 
of  Catharine  Van  Clyffe,  I  should  have  to 
begin  a  glorious  story  of  Retribution ;  to  tell 
how,  in  one  way  or  the  other,  the  American 
people  were  so  roused  and  incensed  by  the 
Barbary  pirates,  that  they  sent  out  a  fleet  the 
next  year  to  punish  them  —  how  Captain  Van 
Clyffe  and  Paul  went  with  this  fleet — how 
young  Stephen  Decatur  burnt  the  Philadelphia 
—  how  four  hundred  American  officers  and 
seamen  were  released  from  the  Dey's  dun 
geons,  and  from  slavery,  with  cannon  balls  — 
and  still  later,  how  Captain  Van  ClyfFe  and 
Paul  went  again  to  Algiers ;  this  time  in  com 
mand  of  a  man-of-war,  one  of  the  American 
274 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje! 

fleet  that,  in  conjunction  with  the  English  fleet 
under  Lord  Exmouth  and  the  Dutch  fleet 
under  Admiral  Capellen,  fought  a  series  of 
the  most  terrible  naval  battles  in  history  — 
battles  which,  however,  really  knocked  the 
Dey's  forts,  and  palace  about  his  head ;  de 
stroyed  his  power  forever ;  and  set  free,  without 
a  cent  of  ransom,  over  twelve  hundred  Chris 
tian  slaves. 

But,  glorious  as  this  tale  is,  it  does  not  con 
cern  the  girlhood  of  Catharine ;  and  her 
womanhood  is  a  story  by  itself — a  story  yet 
to  write  —  a  story  never  quite  separated  from 
the  influence  and  charm  of  the  Bells.  She 
travelled  far  and  wide,  but  they  travelled  with 
her.  Nor  must  you  think  her  experience 
either  strange  or  unnatural.  No  fact  is  more 
positively  authenticated  than  this  fact  of 
home-loving  and  home-longing  travellers 
hearing  the  church  bells  of  their  native  place. 
Dr.  Hall  heard  Trinity  Bells  far  in  the  Arctic 
snows.  Alexander  William  Kinglake,  in  the 
275 


Trinity  Bells 

middle  of  the  eternal  sadness,  and  immense 
abandonment  of  the  desert,  was  awakened 
from  a  sleep  on  his  camel's  back,  by  a  peal 
of  church  bells  —  his  native  bells  —  the  inno 
cent  bells  of  Marlen.  In  vain  he  plunged 
his  face  into  the  hot,  dazzling  daylight ;  for 
full  ten  minutes  they  continued  "  properly, 
steadily,  merrily,  ringing  for  church."  Na 
poleon,  at  Malmaison,  trembled  to  hear  the 
bells  of  Brienne ;  and  almost  any  old  sailor 
can  tell  how  under  vertical  suns  in  mid-ocean 
— thousands  of  miles  from  land  —  he  has 
thrilled  with  wonder,  to  hear  his  own  village 
chimes. 

We  will   not  seek   after  the  philosophy  of 

these     things ;     because     such    messages    are 

always   supremely    personal.      It    is    enough 

here  to  know,  that  Catharine's  best  life  history 

set  itself  to  the  charming  octave  of  Trinity 

Bells.     They  heralded  her  wedding  day  with 

the    jubilant     notes    of    Hail,    smiling    morn, 

1  Eothen. 

276 


All  is  Well,  Katryntje  ! 

and  when  the  last  scene  in  her  life  came  they 
were  not  silent. 

It  was  on  a  lovely  day  in  November,  just 
fifty  years  ago,  one  of  those  days  which  are 
after-thoughts  of  summer.  John  Errington, 
Paul,  and  Elsie  stood  by  her  grave,  under  the 
shadow  of  Trinity.  The  stir  of  Broadway 
seemed  only  a  murmur  in  the  silent  yard ; 
and  through  the  open  doors  of  the  church 
the  music  of  the  organ  was  faintly  audible. 
Both  Errington  and  Paul  were  old  and  feeble, 
and  dry-eyed  in  their  great  sorrow ;  but  Elsie's 
grief  had  her  old  passionate  abandon.  She 
was  shrunken  and  withered,  and  white-haired  ; 
but  she  wrung  her  hands  in  childlike  distress, 
and  moaned  "Oh,  our  dear  Delight!  What 
shall  we  do  without  you  ? " 

And  as  she  spoke,  the  chimes  began  ;  and 
they  stood  silent  till  they  were  finished.  "How 
sad  they  are  !  "  said  Paul,  almost  in  a  whisper. 
"What  did  they  say  to  you,  Elsie?"  And 
in  a  fresh  passion  of  grief  she  answered,  — 
277 


Trinity  Bells 


w  Fare  thee  well,  Katryntje!  Fare  thee 
well!  " 

But  John  Errington  said  softly :  "  I  heard 
them  differently,  Elsie.  To  me  they  said  : 


•All      is     well,  Ka  •  trynt  -  jel   All       is        well!' 


TITLES    SELECTED    FROM 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAFS  LIST 

May  be  had  wherever  bosks  are  9oU.       Ask  for  Grosset  &  Dontep's  list 

A   CERTAIN    RICH   MAN.    By  William  Allen  White. 

A  vivid,  startling  portrayal  of  one  man's  financial  greed,  its 
wide  spreading  power,  its  action  in  Wall  Street,  and  its  effect  on 
the  three  women  most  intimately  in  his  life.  A  splendid,  enter- 
taining  American  novel. 

IN    OUR    TOWN.    By  William  Allen  White.    Illustrated  by  F0 
R.  Gruger  and  W.  Glackens. 

Made  up  of  the  observations  of  a  keen  newspaper  editorf 
involving  the  town  millionaire,  the  smart  set,  the  literary  set,  the 
bonemian  set,  and  many  others.  All  humorously  related  and  sure 
to  hold  the  attention. 

NATHAN  BURKE.    By  Mary  S.  Watts. 

The  story  of  an  ambitious,  backwoods  Ohio  boy  who  rose 
to  prominence.  Everyday  humor  of  American  rustic  life  per 
meates  the  book. 

THE  HIGH    HAND.    By  Jacques     utrelle.    Illustrated  by  Will 

Grefe. 

A  splendid  story  of  the  political  game,  with  a  son  of  the 
soil  on  the  one  side,  and  a  "kid  glove"  politician  on  the  other. 
A  pretty  girl,  interested  in  both  men,  is  the  chief  figure. 

THE  BACKWOODSMEN.  By  Charles  G.  D.  Roberts.  Illustrated. 
Realistic  stories  of  men  and  women  living  midst  the  savage 
ieauty  of  the  wilderness.    Human  nature   at  its  best  and   worst 
£  well  protrayed. 

YELLOWSTONE  NIGHTS.    By  Herbert  Quick. 

A  jolly  company  of  six  artists,  writers  and  other  clever 
*&lks  take  a  trip  through  the  National  Park,  and  tell  stories  around 
camp  fire  at  night.  Brilliantly  clever  and  original. 

THE  PROFESSOR'S  MYSTERY.      By    Wells    Hastings   and 
Brian  Hooker.     Illustrated  by  Hanson  Booth. 

A  young  college  professor,  missing  his  steamer  for  Europe, 
has  a  romantic  meeting  with  a  pretty  girl,  escorts  her  home,  and 
js  enveloped  in  a  big  mystery. 


Ask  for  complete  free  list  of  G.  &  D.  Popular  Copyrighted  Fiction 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  526  WEST  26th  ST.,  NEW  YORK 


TITLES    SELECTED    FROM 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP'S  LIST 

May  be  had  wherever  books  are  sold.      Ask  for  Grosset  &  Dunlap's  list 

fHE  SIEGE  OF  THE  SEVEN  SUITORS.    By  Meredith  Nick 
olson.    Illustrated  by  C.  Coles  Phillips  and  Reginald  Birch. 

Seven  suitors  vie  with  each  other  for  the  love  of  a  beautifui 
jjirl,  and  she  subjects  them  to  a  test  that  is  fnll  of  mystery,  magic 
and  sheer  amusement. 

THE  MAGNET.    By  Henry  C.  Rowland.    Illustrated  by  Clarence 
F.  Underwood. 

The  story  of  a  remarkable  courtship  involving  three  pretty 
girls  on  a  yacht,  a  poet-lover  in  pursuit,  and  a  mix-up  in  the  names 
of  the  girls. 

THE  TURN  OF  THE  ROAD.  By  Eugenia  Brooks  Frothinghnm. 
A  beautiful  young  opera  singer  chooses  professional  success 
instead  of  love,  but  comes  to  a  place  in  life  where  the  call  of  the 
heart  is  stronger  than  worldly  success. 

SCOTTIE  AND  HIS  LADY.     By  Margaret  Morse.    Illustrated 
by  Harold  M.  Brett. 

A  young  girl  whose  affections  have  been  blighted  is  presented 
with  a  Scotch  Collie  to  divert  her  mind,  and  the  roving  adventures 
of  her  pet  lead  the  young  mistress  into  another  romance. 

SHEILA  VEDDER.    By  Amelia  E.  Barr.    Frontispiece  by  Harri= 
son  Fisher. 

A  very  beautiful  romance  of  the  Shetland  Islands,  with  a 
handsome,  strong  willed  hero  and  a  lovely  girl  of  Gaelic  blocd  aa 
heroine.  A  sequel  to  "Jan  Vedder's  Wife." 

JOHN  WARD.  PREACHER.    By  Margaret  Deland. 

The  first  big  success  of  this  much  loved  American  novelist. 
It  is  a  powerful  portrayal  of  a  young  clergyman's  attempt  to  win  his 
beautiful  wife  to  his  own  narrow  creed. 

THE   TRAIL  OF   NINETY-EIGHT.    By  Robert  W.  Service, 
Illustrated  by  Maynard  Dixon. 

One  of  the  best  stories  of  "Vagabondia"  ever  written,  and 
one  of  the  most  accurate  and  picturesque  of  the  stampede  of  gold 
leekers  to  the  Yukon.  The  love  story  embedded  in  the  narrative 
is  strikingly  original, 

Atk  for  complete  free  Jist  of  G.  &  D.    Pofalar  Copyrighted  Fiction 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  526  WEST  26th  ST.,  NEW  YOR* 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-32m-8,'58(5876s4)444 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A  001372828  2 


1072  Trinity  bells 
173 


PS 

1072 

T73 


